Bhubaneswar taxi driver death case: Lookout notice against job fraud accused Jyotsna Khuntia likely

Amid the ongoing probe into the death case of Bhubaneswartaxi driver Bidyadhar Sahoo, a new photograph of job fraud accused Jyotsna Khuntia has surfaced. Khuntia is the prime accused in a massive job fraud involving the collection of crores of rupees from people under the pretext of providing employment. 

As per reports, the Commissionerate Police is likely to issue a lookout circular against her while her bank accounts have already been frozen as part of the investigation.

Jyotsna allegedly duped people across the state by promising them government and private sector jobs. 

She reportedly resided in the Badagada area of Bhubaneswar and had opened a consultancy office in the Baramunda locality in Odisha's Bhubaneswar. She allegedly ran her fake recruitment operations from there. Victims claim they paid large sums of money in the hope of securing employment but were left cheated and frustrated.

Link to Taxi Driver’s Death

It is alleged that the cheated aspirants, in their desperation, kidnapped taxi driver Bidyadhar Sahoo. Later, Bidyadhar took his life by suicide. On September 20, his body was recovered from the Chandaka police station area. Initially suspected to be a murder, the investigation revealed the broader job fraud connection.

Ongoing Investigation and Rising Questions

Several questions are being raised about the conduct of the police. However, police sources said intelligence units have been deployed to trace Khuntia, and raids are being carried out at various locations.

Case Background

Bidyadhar was found lying dead near his car on Chandaka–Barang road in Bhubaneswar. Investigations revealed that though he was kidnapped, he had taken his own life. Five accused involved in his abduction have been arrested and forwarded to court, while police continue to trace others. 

Bidyadhar was kidnapped on September 15, his wife filed a complaint with Badagada Police on September 18, and his body was recovered on September 20.

Despite over two weeks having passed, the failure to arrest Jyotsna Khuntia has raised serious questions about the pace and priority of the investigation.