Jajpur: In a new twist to the death of Haridaspur lady panchayat executive officer (PEO) in-charge Smitarani Biswal, her husband today brought serious charges against the Haridaspur sarpanch Madhusmita Bhadra and her husband, Rupesh Bhadra.
Speaking to the media after submitting a memorandum to the Odisha Human Rights Commission demanding re-investigation of the case, Susil Biswal alleged that the sarpanch and her husband used to pressurise the PEO to do illegal works pertaining to Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and old-age pension schemes.
"My wife had told me that some people were forcing her to do illegal works. I think she might have been forced to do some illegitimate works and was subsequently murdered when she denied to do so. I urged re-investigation of the case along with a high-level inquiry into all the block-level works sanctioned and done by the sarpanch and his husband," he said.
Biswal further accused Jajpur police of distorting evidence and shielding the accused. "Even after repeated requests, Jajpur police didn't allow me to the room where they were claiming that my wife committed suicide. Even post-mortem was intentionally delayed. I believe my wife has been murdered," he alleged.
Earlier, the sarpanch and wife of the arrested accused claimed that her husband Rupesh is innocent and falsely implicated in the case.