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Paralakhemundi: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) interrogated about 18 people in two days in connection with the mysterious deaths of Paralakhemundi King Gopinath Gajapati Narayan Deo’s former manager Ananga Manjari Patra and her three siblings, during its third phase probe.
Official sources said on second day of the probe, the four member team quizzed a realtor of Patapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Ananga’s brother Amulya Patra and Purnima Patra, one of her sisters.
“They (SIT) had called one of my relatives Rajani Devi Patnaik for interrogation. They informed the investigating team that they were not in the town during the incident,” said Amulya Patra, brother of Ananga Manjari.
“Myself and other three members of our family had gone to the SIT yesterday. We asked them about the slow progress of the investigation. They said that the matter is under investigation and it would take some time to complete the process. But they assured us that the culprit would be punished. We requested them to speed up the case,” stated Purnima Patra.
The team also quizzed one Debasis Padhi, a journalist, in connection with the case. Padhi’s name had appeared in the suicide note seized from the Patras.
“Since my name was in the suicide note, the SIT wanted to know why my name appeared in the note. They only wanted to know my links with them. They didn't ask me about the properties of the king. I told them that since I am a journalist by profession, this could be the reason behind appearance of my name in the note,” Padhi said.
Earlier yesterday, the team visited Paralakhemundi yesterday and recorded the statements of Ananga Manjari Patra’s sisters and some of their relatives.
Besides, the team also questioned Paralakhemundi city BJD president Jamadar Patnaik, lawyer Ram Gopal Rao, two businessmen, a retired bank official and three priests, sources added.
Paralakhemundi city BJD president Jamadar Patnaik, said, “They asked me submit my identity card and questioned me why I visited the palace?”
Notably the Crime Branch has already given a clean chit to the Patras in their role in Paralakhemundi king’s property grabbing case.
Ananga Manjari Patra and her brother Sanjay, both formerly managers to the king and the royal estate, were found dead in their home in Paralakhemundi along with another sister Bijaylaxmi on August 22. While three including Anang had died after consuming poison, Tulu Patra, rescued in a critical condition from the spot, died in the following day at the MKCG medical college and hospital in Berhampur.
