Berhampur: Police will conduct a joint interrogation of arrested former Congress MLA Ramesh Jena, his father Arakhita Jena, his close associate and Congress corporator R Murali and builder Buna Sahu by taking them again on remand.
The police will make them sit together and quiz them on their alleged criminal activities. The details of their statements will be verified and put to test to ascertain the extent of Jena’s network, said superintendent of police Ashis Singh Monday. A petition in this regard was moved in court Monday, he added.
The joint questioning will be conducted as the police have failed to elicit substantial clues on the alleged criminal activities of Jena and his associates during their separate interrogations.
Meanwhile, the police in their bid to free the city of crime arrested 26 hardcore criminals and 19 warrantees Monday. Some of the accused were identified as Anil Nayak, the prime witness in the Shanti Mishra murder case, his accomplice Manoj Panda, Chanti, Mandu and Sana Kanji. Panda, Chanti, Mandu and Sana were arrested while they were planning for a major heist.
A live bomb, a sword, mobile phones and several tools were seized from their possession, Town police said. Similarly, several history-sheeters and warrantees were arrested from Sadar, Gosain Nugaoan, Badabazaar and Golanthara police station areas.
The arrests were made after the SP held a seven-hour long meeting with officials of all police stations under Berhampur police district and asked them to crack down on two groups of criminals – one led by the former MLA and the other by Pintu Das. The crackdown will continue till peace is restored in the city, Singh said. PNN
