Bhubaneswar: The remand period of the four accused involved in cameraman Manas Swain’s murder case, Sarmishtha Rout, Niranjan Sethi, Jhuna Bhoi, and Ranjan will come to an end today.
Reportedly, all of them will be produced before the Chandbali JMFC court. The Crime Branch is likely to apply for a remand period again.
The prime accused Sarmishta was brought to the crime branch office after the murder scene recreation at 3 places including Palaspur of Chandbali, Ranpur Badhipatana in Nayagarh. Thereafter, she was interrogated face to face with Niranjan, Ranjan, and Jhuna.
The last day of interrogation has begun today where all the four accused will be interrogated face to face. It has been learnt that Niranjan Sethi has not been cooperating with the crime branch team in the investigation. The polygraph tests of the accused may be conducted if needed, said sources.
Earlier on April 1, Sarmistha Rout confessed to having kidnapped and killed the Manas Swain.
She kidnapped Manas from Palaspur of Chandbali on March 7 with the help of Ranjan Nayak, Jhuna Bhoi, Bhagyadhar Nayak, and Nilu. They brought him to Dayal Ashram in Bhubaneswar and assaulted him brutally until his death. Later, they disposed of the body in Ranpur Badhipatana. She also recreated the crime scenes at different places including Ranpur Badhipatana, where Manas’s body was buried.
Prior to that, the accused Ranjan confessed to having kidnapped Manas from Palaspur under Chandbali police limits in Bhadrak in Sarmistha’s car and brought him to Dayal Ashram under Airfield Police Station in Bhubaneswar.
After disposal of the dead body, the accused people went to a place located on the side of Daitari –Paradeep express Highway about two kilometers from Chandikhole where they burnt the belongings of Manas including one mobile earphone, one pair of footwear of Manas, and a jute sack in which they had wrapped the dead body and saree following which they had thrown the weapons used for digging and burring the dead body in the nearby bush. The shreds of evidence were retrieved from the crime locations with the help of Ranjan.
Ms Kalinga