Double Murder By Ex-MLA: Chhattisgarh Police Intensify Probe In Odisha; Know Details

Jharsuguda: It took them four years to crack the double murder of 2016, but Chhattisgarh Police are leaving no stone unturned to build a watertight case against expelled BJD leader and former MLA Anup Sai, the prime accused in the case.

A four-member police team from Chhattisgarh arrived in Odisha on Monday and launched an investigation by visiting the former MLA’s residence.

The cops also visited Brajrajnagar to examine the bank accounts of Sai. His account transactions at State Bank of India’s Lamatibahal branch and UCO Bank’s MCL branch were also scanned.

Notices have also been served to several people, including the sister-in-law of the deceased, to appear in person at the police station on Tuesday to record statements. Sai’s nephew has also been summoned. He has been asked to submit documents of a Bolero and an Innova used in the crime, police sources said.

The expelled BJD leader had allegedly brutally murdered his paramour Kalpana Das (32) and her 14-year-old daughter in April 2016. Their mutilated bodies were found near Sakambari Plant inside a forest at Hamirpur near Raigarh on May 7 the same year.

On February 13, Raigarh Police arrested the former MLA after nearly 18 hours of questioning. He was later remanded to judicial custody for two weeks. His driver, Barman Toppo, who was also picked up for interrogation admitted to his involvement in the crime. He also revealed chilling details of the horrific murder, which included the use of two vehicles to crush the bodies to destroy their identities and the presence of another accomplice.

To find out who all were present on the night of the crime, the team is now camping in Jharsuguda and is on the lookout for the third accused.

Raigarh SP Santosh Singh said that they will move the court for a three-day remand of Sai and his driver. “Das was a lawyer by profession. We have also summoned one of her senior colleagues to appear for questioning,” the SP added.

Meanwhile, a lock is reportedly hanging at Kalpana’s residence at Bagharachaka. Sai had helped her financially to complete its construction. Her father Rudraksha Das, foster mother, widowed sister-in-law, who had been living in the house, disappeared soon after the arrest of Toppo, media reports said.