Bhubaneswar: Police have submitted a 680-page chargesheet in court in the sensational murder of woman constable Subhamitra Sahoo.
The chargesheet, submitted by Capital Police Station Inspector Bipin Bihari Hota, includes details of the investigation, forensic evidence, financial records, witness testimonies and circumstantial details that trace the relationship between Subhamitra and the main accused, leading up to the murder. The charges have been framed under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Her husband Deepak Rout (39), also a police constable, is the prime accused in the case. Binod Bihari Bhuyan (38), a cousin of Deepak, and Sambhunath Mahanta (23), have also been named in the chargesheet for their alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence.
Body of the 25-year-old traffic police constable, posted
in Bhubaneswar, was recovered from a jungle in a jungle in the Ghatagaon area in Keonjhar district, around 170 km from Bhubaneswar, on September 17, more than 10 days after she was reported missing. Deepak was suspected to have killed his wife following disputes over financial matters, including Subhamitra’s insistence that he foot the bill for a grand wedding.
The duo had secretly married in July 2024. This was Deepak’s second marriage.
Investigation further revealed that Deepak had also taken out a Rs 25 lakh insurance policy in Subhamitra’s name, allegedly to benefit financially after her death. His first wife had reportedly died in an accident and he had received a Rs 1.5 crore payout from her life insurance policy.
Financial dispute and insurance policy are suspected to be key factors behind the crime, which was classified as a ‘red flag‘ case, ensuring stringent supervision.