Archana Nag Honey-Trap Case in Odisha: Will Shradhanjali Behera Turn Approver?

Bhubaneswar: With the second remand of blackmailer Archana Nag coming to an end on Sunday, speculation is rife that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may make her former aide Shradhanjali Behera an approver in the high-profile sextortion case.

It is said that a decision was taken by the ED in this regard after its sleuths quizzed Shradhanjali for over 12 hours on Saturday and obtained vital clues pertaining to Archana and the case. Initially, the ED interrogated Shradhanjali for several hours for answers to specific queries as Archana reportedly did not cooperate with the agency. Later, the ED sleuths made Shradhanjali, Archana and Jagabandhu sit face-to-face and quizzed them together.

According to sources, while Shradhanjali cooperated with the ED and answered all questions put to her, Archana was reportedly uncooperative and feigned sickness during the interrogation. There were occasions when doctors from the Capital Hospital had to be called to attend to Archana. At times, Archana also showed bursts of anger when Shradhanjali was replying to ED’s queries.

Shradhanjali was asked an assortment of questions like: “Who paid money to them,” “How much money did they extort,” “Where and how were the secret sex videos of the extortion victims shot,” “How they came in contact with their victims,” “Their modus operandi in the crime,” and many others. She is said to have given “satisfactory” answers to all the questions.

Meanwhile, the ED has received two diaries of Archana from the Khandagiri Police after the court’s approval. The agency also took in its possession gadgets – mobile phones, laptop and pen drives– used by Archana.

Representatives of two reputed gold outlets in the city from where Archana purchased jewellery were summoned by the ED on Saturday and they submitted all bills related to purchases made by Archana. The owner of the automobile showroom from where Archana bought an Audi also met the ED officials on Saturday. Officials of the bank where Archana had her account too met the ED officials. Meanwhile, the ED has sent separate summons to more than 50 persons, some of them influential, for interrogation. They expect some new faces to appear in the case now. The case is likely to take a new turn with Shradhanjali turning an approver, sources added.