Gangster interrogated by police

Thu, May 8 10:31 PM

Bhubaneswar, May 8 (PTI) Police today interrogated Sandeep Acharya, the key accused in child marathon runner Budhia's coach Biranchi Das murder case, who pleaded innocence. "The gangster (Raja), who was grilled for nearly four hours, remained calm and composed all along the interrogation", said a senior ficer.

Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Y B Khurania and DCP H K Lal separately quizzed the gangster and wanted to know the motive behind killing the 40-year-old judo coach. The gangster, who was brought from Panaji where he was arrested, has been kept under tight security at the office of the Additional DCP at Chandrasekharpur area.

Raja, an accused in nearly 35 crimes including five murders and a dozen of extortion cases, remained unfazed all along and continued to repeat old stories, the official said. "He claimed he was innocent and maintained he had no role in Biranchi's murder when two officers questioned him", another officer said.

Raja evaded questions regarding the claim made by his close associate Akshya Behera alias Chagala that he (Raja) had killed Biranchi Das. "I do not know what Chagala told you", Raja told the interrogators, the sources said.

Though Raja claimed others (names not disclosed by police officers) killed Das, police continued to insist on the gangster's involvement in the case. PTI.

RECOMMEND THIS STORY