JAGATSINGHPUR: The wife of Sarada Charan Khatua, an executive of Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage Factory whose body was found last week, lodged a complaint with police on Friday for receiving threat calls. She told police that she is being threatened for pursuing the case.

Khatua’s wife Mausimi has sought security for her family from Odisha Police. “I received the threat call in the morning and the person threatened me of dire consequences in Hindi,” she said.

Khatua, who was working as Junior Works Manager in the gun factory, was missing since January 17. He was found dead in an isolated area of Jabalpur last week. While police initially termed it a suicide, the autopsy revealed that he was murdered. The death has drawn public attention as Khatua was being questioned by the CBI over alleged supply and use of Chinese parts in the Bofors guns manufactured by the factory.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Prakash Pal said Khatua’s father Kalandi Khatua has lodged an FIR at Jagatsinghpur police station over the threat call and a case has been registered. Investigation is on with the help of cyber police to trace the mobile number from which the call was made, he added.

Earlier, Mausimi had filed an FIR at Jabalpur police station alleging that Khatua was killed because he was in possession of some important information relating to CBI’s investigation. 

Khatua’s brother Ranjan, who is also working at GCF, said Sarada was aware about the involvement of higher officials in the scam. Instead of German parts, Chinese parts were supplied to GCF for manufacturing Bofors and Dhanush Artillery gun. 

His brother was kidnapped and murdered by those involved in the racket, he alleged.