Manas killing main accused Sarmistha arrested

Bhubaneswar: Sarmistha Rout, the owner of a web channel and the key suspect in the murder of cameraman Manas Swain, was detained by the Crime Branch on Monday along with her associate Jhuna Bhoi from the Nalanga area of Bhadrak district.

"The two was apprehended by a joint Bhadark police and Crime Branch team. Later in the day, they would appear in the JMFC court in Chandbali," said Addl DG Crime Branch Sanjeeb Panda.

He further stated that the CB will ask the court for permission to hold Sarmistha and Jhuna for a period of ten days in order to conduct additional investigation into the case. He also stated that the remand of five additional suspects who were detained previously would be sought.

Notably, the Bhadrak police, who had been leading the inquiry at the time, had been chastised for releasing her after two days of questioning, after which she had fled.

After being kidnapped from Bhadrak on February 7, the 28-year-old cameraman was allegedly beaten to death at an old age home in Bhubaneswar, and his body was disposed of in Nayagarh district. Following the arrest of three kidnappers who claimed to have perpetrated the murder at the direction of Sarmistha, the body was exhumed on March 12, more than a month after he vanished.

According to reports, the crime was done over a memory chip that included offensive film and photographs that may have gotten Sarmistha in trouble.

With the arrest of veteran OIS officer Niranjan Sethi, who is suspected of being a co-conspirator, and his accomplice, Raj Nayak, the storey took a surprising turn. Sethi is said to have kept a close eye on the entire crime.

Krushna Chandra Nayak (50), Bhagyadhar Nayak (26) and Bibek Nayak (19), who reportedly kidnapped Manas, and Sarmistha's brother Pararemswar Rout, who allegedly prepared the blueprint for her escape following the death of the cameraman, are among those arrested in the case.