Archana Nag case: High Court denies interim protection to Shradhanjali Behera
Archana Nag case: High Court denies interim protection to Shradhanjali Behera
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Cuttack: Shradhanjali Behera, an aide to honeytrap kingpin Archana Nag, was denied temporary protection by the Orissa High Court on Wednesday.
She is one of five people, along with Archana and her husband Jagabandhu Chand, against whom the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has opened an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency is investigating the proceeds of the sextortion racket and has previously questioned Shradhanjali. According to sources, she has not answered to the subsequent summons.
As a result, the court ordered her to cooperate with the ED in the investigation. The case's next hearing has been scheduled for January 17.
Archana is accused of depositing a large sum of money in Shradhanjali's bank account between 2017 and 2022. The latter accused her of forcing her into prostitution and manipulating people into blackmailing them for money. On the basis of her complaint, Khandagiri police detained Archana on October 6.
Meanwhile, the ED has placed Jagabandhu on detention for nine days. It also has custody of Archana, who was arrested under Section 19 of the PMLA, and is likely to question both of them about their financial dealings.
Between 2017 and 2022, the agency has already detected approximately Rs 2 crore deposits in Archana and Jagabandhu's bank accounts. An earlier arrest in this case was made by the ED of another of the couple's aides, Khageswar Patra.
