Bhubaneswar: The Twin City Commissionerate Police have arrested four persons in connection with the death of a taxi driver, whose body was found at Chandaka-Baranga Road near Daruthenga on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on September 20
The arrested have been identified as N Dilip Kumar (37), Ramesh Chandra Behera (56), Deepak Kumar Sahukar (30) and Rabindra Behera (50), all natives of Gajapati district.
They are said to be part of the group of persons, who had kidnapped Bidyadhar Sahoo (32) of Khurda district’s Aranga village after he allegedly cheated them of around Rs 1.5 crore on the promise of providing jobs.
Original educational certificates of job aspirants, 26 rubber stamps of various government/private organisations and mobile handsets of the accused were seized, along with the car and two mobile phones, belonging to the deceased.
Investigation revealed that Bidyadhar, a driver of an online cab services firm, was an associate of a woman, Jyostna Rani Khuntia, who worked at a job consultancy firm in the city. The duo is accused of cheating many youths in various districts of Odisha on the promise of providing them jobs. Bidyadhar collected money and original certificates from the job seekers.
Police have launched a search operation to nab the woman, often referred to as ‘madam’, who has been absconding since Bidyadhar’s abduction on September 15.
The kidnappers reportedly took the cab driver to Jajpur and then made a ransom call to his wife, Mamina Khatua, on September 17. In the audio clip of the call, which has since gone viral, one of the kidnappers can be heard telling her that they would not harm her husband if they paid them Rs 1.5 crore ransom and returned their documents.
“The accused sought refunds and return of their documents, including educational certificates, when he reneged on the job promise. They met Bidyadhar on September 15 in Bhubaneswar, subsequently kidnapped and transported him to Jajpur,” commissioner of police S Dev Datta Singh told a presser.
He, however, allegedly died by suicide in the house in Jajpur, where he was held captive by the abductors. They later disposed of his body and abandoned his cab near Daruthenga.
“Bidyadhar was subjected to torture by his captors, who pressured him to return their money. Sahoo hanged himself in the room where he was held captive on September 19. In a state of panic, the accused transported his body back to Bhubaneswar the same night, disposing of it in an isolated area along the Baranga-Pitapali road,” Singh said.
They had attempted to stage a suicide by hanging the body from a tree. However, a call from Badagada police to the accused, who made the ransom demand, startled them and they abandoned the body and fled the scene, fearing arrest.
After the body was recovered, police had traced the person, who called up his wife. His interrogation revealed the constant confrontation with the job seekers while being held hostage, allegedly prompting Bidyadha to take the extreme step and he strangled himself using a towel.
Subsequent investigation revealed that Bidyadhar, a driver of an online cab services firm, was an associate of a woman, Jyostna Rani Khuntia, who ran a job consultancy firm in the city. The duo is accused of cheating many youths in various districts of Odisha on the promise of providing them jobs. Bidyadhar collected money and original certificates from the job seekers.
“We are searching for other accomplices of the four accused as well as the woman and her associates who cheated the accused. The four accused have been charged with abduction, assault and abetment of suicide,” the CP added.
