ED arrests blackmailer Archana Nag’s business partner

Bhubaneswar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today arrested blackmailer Archana Nag’s business partner Khageswar Patra following raids at his house and showroom on Thursday.

The ED had picked him from his residence yesterday evening. He was arrested today for his alleged link with blackmailer Archana Nag, who is lodged at Jharpada Jail for various charges.

According to reports, Khageswar was running a used car dealership business between 2010 and 2019. After coming in contact with Archana Nag, he expanded his business empire by building a used car showroom at Hansapal area on outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

Sources said that bank transactions had been made between Archana and Khageswar since 2017 as per preliminary investigations by the ED.

The investigative agency is likely to take Khageswar on remand for further interrogation to probe the financial aspects of the case.

It is worth mentioning that ED has filed a money laundering case against Archana Nag, her husband Jagabandhu Chand and two associates — Khageswar Patra and Sradhanjali Behera.

Archana was allegedly involved in a sextortion racket. She was arrested on the basis of complaint filed by Ollywood producer Akshay Parija who alleged that she had demanded Rs 3 crore from him. The blackmailer claimed that she had possessed objectionable videos and photographs of the filmmaker and threatened him to make those public.