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Biranchi case: Congress stages demonstration

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

On the warpath: Activists of the Youth Congress holding up traffic on the NH-5 demanding arrest of IAS Officer Priyabrata Patnaik interrogate Raja Acharya in public, near Berhampur on Saturday.

BHUBANESWAR: Close on the heels of gangster Raja Acharya allegedly revealing that he wanted to join the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and met a few party leaders, State Youth Congress on Saturday staged demonstrations at different places across Orissa demanding a CBI probe into the matter.

Although police continued interrogation of Mr. Acharya, the prime suspect in Biranchi Das murder case, for the four consecutive days, no conclusive statement could be obtained from the gangster.

However, Commissioner of Police Bijay Sharma said police were happy with the outcome of the interrogation.

No decision had been taken whether to seek extension of remand period for the accused, he said.

A group of Congress activists led by the State Youth Congress president Rohit Pujari burnt tyres at Vani Vihar junction restricting movement of buses and trucks on National Highway -5 for over one hour.

Similarly, demonstrations were held at Berhampur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Puri, Bargarh and Dhenkanal.

“Law and order situation is fast deteriorating during the tenure of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who also holds the Home Department portfolio.

After the gangster accused that he knew IAS and IPS officers , the Chief Minister has no moral right to continue with his office,” Mr. Pujari said.

As per the media reports, the gangster had also named few BJD leaders’ name during the interrogation whereas Mr. Patnaik was heading the party, he said, adding that a CBI inquiry into the Biranchi Das murder case would help clear all confusions in officer-criminal nexus issue.

The Youth Congress would organise such demonstrations to build up public opinion against incapability of the BJD-BJP government to rein in crime, he said.

Meanwhile, lawyer of the accused Bana Behari Mohanty said Acharya should not be subjected to narco analysis or brain mapping tests.

“We have mentioned it clearly in our response to remand petition of the police,” Mr. Mohanty said.

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