Mamita Meher murder: Odisha minister replies to query on accused

Bhubaneswar: No one else is involved in the Mamita Meher murder case other than prime accused Govind Sahu and his driver Radheshyam Chandi, informed Home (Minister of State) Tusharkanti Behera in the Odisha Assembly, today.

Replying to a question by MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi on the action taken against the accused in the case, Behera said in the House, “Charge sheet was filed against accused Govind Sahu and Radheshyam Chandi on 2 February 2022. The matter is currently sub-judice before the court of Additional District & Sessions Judge, Kantabanji.”

“The two accused have been lodged in Kantabanji Jail as undertrial prisoners. The accused were identified on the basis of detailed investigation and sufficient evidence. It was ascertained during the probe that no one else is involved in the murder,” added Behera.

Notably, the Orissa High Court had on June 29 granted interim bail to prime accused Govind Sahu for two weeks. In his bail application, Sahu stated that as no one else is there in his family to take care of his wife and son who need medical attention, the High Court should consider his plea.

The murder of 24-year-old Mamita Sahu of Jharni village under Turekela block of Balangir district had sent shockwaves across the state. While Mamita was working as a teacher at the Sunshine English Medium School at Mahaling in Kalahandi district, prime accused Govind Sahu was the managing committee president of the educational institution.

Mamita went missing on October 8, 2021. Alleging involvement of Govind Sahu behind her missing, Mamita’s family members had lodged a complaint with police. On October 19, bones of Mamita’s body were exhumed from a stadium construction site of the school in the presence of police.

Opposition BJP and Congress had demanded the resignation of the then Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra over his alleged links with the prime accused.