Chittaranjan Palei was murdered over Jaga’s visit to a woman’s house!

Puri: In a major breakthrough in the murder of Chittaranjan Palei, personal security guard of BJD leader and deputy chairman of State Planning Board Sanjay Das Burma, the Odisha Crime Branch today made a revelation in the case with the arrest of two accused.

Crime Branch DSP Sisir Kumar Mishra in a press conference here said Jagannath Sarangi and Ashok Upadhyay have been arrested for criminal conspiracy and murder of Chittaranjan Palei.

The senior police official said one of the prime accused Jagannath was frequenting a house at Chakrapada village in the district, to which Chittaranjan was objecting to. They engaged in an altercation and it culminated in a murder at the Nuanai river bed on the fateful night of December 10.

Sources close the development said Jagannath alias Jaga was visiting a woman’s house in the village quite frequently, for which he had become an eyesore for Chittaranjan. However, the intention behind such visits was unknown.

A native of Sanabandhakera village under Brahmagiri police limits in Puri district, Chittaranjan went missing on December 10 night. His family members lodged a complaint with police on December 11 stating that Chittaranjan had gone to attend a feast organised by Jaga at Matiapada on the fateful night, but did not return home.

Body of Chittaranjan was found floating in the river under Sadar Police limits on December 13.

Odisha DGP Abhay on December 15 directed the Crime Branch to take over the investigation of the case.

As many as five suspects, including the two arrested, had undergone polygraph test, leading to the duo’s arrest. Other three accused are under the scanner of the agency, Crime Branch DSP Sisir Kumar Mishra said.

The two have been arrested under Sections 120B, 302, 201 and 34 of IPC. Later in the day, they were forwarded to court.

The Crime Branch has prayed to the court for a 7-day remand of the accused for further investigation into the case.

Opposition BJP and Congress had demanded resignation of Das Burma alleging his involvement in the case. Chittaranjan’s wife had dragged Das Burma in the case for his alleged complicity.