Ramakanta Biswas

Jajpur: In a new twist to the death of Haridaspur lady panchayat executive officer (PEO) in-charge Smitarani Biswal, the sarpanch and wife of the arrested accused today claimed that her husband Rupesh Bhadra is innocent and falsely implicated in the case.

Speaking to OTV, Madhusmita Bhadra, wife of Rupesh, said her husband is a man of good character and the reports of his love affair and it being a reason behind death of the lady PEO is all false.

“The lady PEO had developed some discord with her in-laws and on request of her parents, we used to help her. We along with her family even used to go on tours on several occasions and had good rapport with them,” she claimed.

However Madhusmita said, “I did not have the slightest idea that Smitarani would have an eye on my husband and our property. I suspect that when my husband deterred her advances, she framed him through conspiracy. I want justice for my husband who is innocent. Some people are spreading misinformation about him."

“If I completely lose my mental balance and commit suicide or if my husband takes extreme step, the ones who are spreading false rumours to implicate him in this false case will be responsible," threatened Madhusmita.

On the other hand, husband of the PEO Sushil Biswal has accused Madhusmita of lying. "Whatever she is saying is false. If she suspected that my wife had love affair with her husband why didn't she brought the matter to the fore?"

Amid the development, politics now continues to take centre stage over the lady PEO’s death with all the three parties, Congress, BJD and BJP getting at loggerheads over Rupesh's pictures with leaders of different political parties.

While Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati has accused both BJP and BJD of shielding the accused in the case, BJP's Lekhashree Samantasinghar has also alleged foul play in the incident.

However, BJD has blamed the BJP for trying to politicise the incident as it does not have any issue. BJP's comments might influence probe into the lady PEO's death. They should also refrain from levelling allegations on political links of accused by showing his pictures with our party leaders because he also has photos with BJP leaders, so they should instead clarify first, said BJD spokesperson Sulata Deo.

scrollToTop