BJP demands CBI probe into Archana Nag case

BHUBANESWAR: After a heavy silence on the ‘sextortion’ case that broke out a couple of days ago, the BJP on Tuesday came out all guns blazing demanding a CBI probe into the blackmailing racket run by Archana Nag. Accusing the BJD government of trying to shield some influential persons including MLAs and Ministers of the ruling party, State BJP Mahila Morcha president Smruti Pattnaik told a media conference here that the silence of the police investigating the case has given an impression that the agency is ‘trying to cover more than to reveal’.

“The police claimed to have all the vital evidence about the Archana Nag honey trap racket. What is baffling is the silence of the police about the victims of the extortion racket,” she said.The public have the right to know how such a racket was operating across the State for more than five years without the knowledge of the police, she added. 

Claiming that Archana and her husband Jagabandhu Chand are active members of the BJD, Pattnaik said the couple was running the extortion racket with patronage from high profile politicians of the ruling party. This is very much evident from the silence maintained by the police, investigating the case.

Daring the police to reveal the names of all those having links with the woman, the Mahila Morcha president sought to know why Nag is yet to be interrogated though she was arrested last week.She alleged that all attempts are being made by the police to destroy evidences collected from the laptop, mobile and bank lockers of Archana to protect her as she has direct links with many senior members of the ruling BJD.

Drawing a parallel to the investigation into the Dharmendra Sahoo suicide case, Pattnaik said the alleged suicide remained a mystery as the police in not revealing the video content in the two mobiles of the deceased. The Mamita Meher murder case faces a similar fate as a BJD MLA and former minister was involved in the case. Though the leader was a prime suspect, he was allowed go scot-free due to lack of evidence.