Other States - Orissa

Kidnap case: businessman’s kin seek CBI probe

BHUBANESWAR: Family members of Rasmi Ranjan Mohapatra, the Keonjhar-based businessman who was kidnapped last year, demanded CBI probe into the case soon after city-police confirmed that the abducted person was dead.

Quoting the DNA test conducted at Hyderabad-based Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), city police said the body that was found near Ranchi in Jharkhand was of the kidnapped businessman.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Himanshu Lal said, “the result of DNA test conducted in Kolkata was inconclusive.

But the test at Hyderabad confirmed the murder.” Family members of the businessman had to cough up Rs. 1.25 crores towards ransom.

“When Arsad Pervez, a contract killer said he had killed Rasmi Ranjan Mohapatra in his own hand, we had little doubts. We verified his claims by conducting DNA test at Hyderabad,” Mr. Lal said.

However, family members were not entirely convinced of the version of police.

“We had spoken to my brother in May and again had conversation with him in November. How could police claim that he was murdered immediately after his kidnap?,” questioned Prasant Mohapatra, brother of the victim.

He said an investigation by CBI would clear all doubts.

Seikh Haider, a dreaded gangster who was lodged in the Bolangir district jail, was said to have conspired the kidnap drama.

Based on clues given by network of the gangster, city police had managed to nab the contract killer from Jamshedpur.

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