Retired Odisha official arrested in cameraman murder case

Bhubaneswar, March 22 (IANS) Retired Odisha Information Service officer, Niranjan Sethi and another person were arrested on Monday for their alleged involvement in murder of a cameraman of a local web channel, police said.As per police, cameraman Manas Swain was kidnapped from Bhadrak on February 6 and brought to Dayal Ashram, an old age home located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar city, where he was assaulted physically. His body was recovered from Badhipatna hills in Rajsunakhala area of Nayagarh in March 12, the police said. Sethi, who recently retired as Director, Technical, of Odisha Information and Public Relations Department, and his associate, identified as Ranjan Nayak, wereallegedly involved in the murder conspiracy, physical assault and disposing of the body following murder, said Additional SP, Bhadrak, Jatin Panda.He said that Sethi was present on the spot when the cameraman was beaten to death and the body was also allegedly disposed of under his guidance. "We have sufficient evidence against Sethi," he said.Panda suspected that Swain was in possession of a CPU chip containing some objectionable videos which could have landed some people in trouble. However, the police are yet to get it."We are searching for the chip. We have formed different teams and conducted search operations to get it," he said. Earlier, three persons have been arrested in connection with the murder case. However, Sarmistha Rout, the owner of the web channel where Manas used to work, is still absconding.
--IANS bbm/vd

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