Bhubaneswar: The Crime Branch has taken over the investigation charge of murder of Manas Swain, a cameraman of a local web channel.
“DGP, Odisha has ordered for taking up of investigation of Chandbali PS Case No. 63 dated 14.02.2022 of Bhadrak District by CID-Crime Branch in view of its gravity and involvement of multiple districts,” Odisha Police tweeted.
Following this order of DGP, the crime branch has taken over murder case. Multiple districts involved in the case. The kidnap was occurred in one district and murder happened in other and body was disposed off in another district. So, the crime branch has taken over the investigation of this case, said Crime Branch Chief Sanjeeb Panda.
“We have formed two teams. One team will investigate the case in all involved places including Bhubaneswar while another team will work for the arrest of prime accused Sarmistha Rout,” Mr.Panda said.
As the police suspect that the prime accused have fled to other State, the crime branch official, if required, will also visit outside Odisha to nab her, informed the ADG.
Meanwhile, the police arrested Sarmistha’s brother Parameswar from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.
So far, six persons, including former Odisha Information Service (OIS) officer Niranjan Sethi, have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of the 28-year-old cameraman. However, the prime accused in the case Sarmistha Rout who runs the web channel is still absconding.
As per the police, the cameraman was kidnapped from Bhadrak on February 6 and brought to Dayal Ashram, an old age home, run by the prime accused in Bhubaneswar, where he was assaulted physically. Later, on March 12, the body of Swain was recovered from Badhipatna hills in Rajsunakhala area of Nayagarh, the police said.