Odisha judge’s death: Probe team quizzes Subash Behari’s wife

Cuttack: Furthering the probe of POCSO court judge Subash Kumar Behari death case, a special team of Commissionerate Police today quizzed Behari’s wife and key accused Aparajita Rai at his government residence in CDA Sector-9 locality of Cuttack City.

A source said that names of Aparajita’s cousin brother Sarbajeet Rai and 11 others, including Behari’s driver, a staff assisting in household works and few neighbours, have been shortlisted for interrogation in connection with the alleged murder. Aparajita will be questioned again soon face to face along with her brother, the senior official in Markat Nagar police station further said.

The legal luminary, who hailed from Jajpur district, is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Behari was killed by his wife and brother-in-law, the victim’s mother alleged a day after the POCSO court judge was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his quarters in the city.

“Neither my son (the judge) was being allowed to visit our house nor to speak to me. The brother and sister duo have killed him,” lamented the POCSO judge’s bereaved mother Tulasi Behari.

The deceased’s cousin claimed that it was a case of murder as there were injury marks on his (Behari’s) body. “It was a pre-planned murder but given the colour of suicide. We were not allowed to see the body. It was not even handed over to us. They cremated the body at Puri Swargadwar,” alleged the deceased judge’s brother Subrat Behari demanding for CBI inquiry into the case.

It is pertinent to mention, the 49-year-old POCSO court judge was found dead on Friday at his quarters. An FIR in this regard was lodged the next day by his mother at Markat Nagar police station.