ED Seeks 15-Day Remand Of Odisha Honeytrap Kingpin Archana’s Husband Jagabandhu

Bhubaneswar: Giving pace to its probe in Archana Nag’s honeytrap  case in Odisha, the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday sought court’s permission to take her husband Jagabandhu Chand on 15-day remand for questioning in connection with proceeds of the sextortion racket.

As Jagabandhu was produced before a court in Bhubaneswar amid tight security following the ED’s production notice, the central investigating agency moved an application seeking its permission to take him on remand for 15 days, sources said.

Jagabandhu, on his part, has moved Orissa High Court seeking bail in connection with the sex and extortion case, involving Archana’s aide Shradhanjali Behera. The ADJ court-2 in Bhubaneswar had rejected his bail plea on December 1.

Shortly after Jagabandhu’s production, Archana was also taken from the ED office and produced before the court in Bhubaneswar after completion of the 7-day remand period.

As per sources, the is likely to seek further custody of Archana Nag for questioning in connection with proceeds of the sextortion racket.

If sources are to be believed Archana, who had dropped a bombshell claiming she had evidence against a lot of people and would disclose details at an appropriate time, has not been cooperating with the agency in the probe.

Having failed to elicit details from Archana, the agency is planning to question her and Jagabandhu together to extract information regarding financial transactions in the blackmailing racket, sources added.

However, Archana’s lawyer told reporters outside the court that she cooperated with the investigating agency during interrogation.

The central probe agency, which had registered a case against Archana, Jagabandhu and associates Shradhanjali Behera and Khageswar Patra under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, has so far grilled around ten people in connection with the honeytrap case.

The ED has also traced Rs 2.5 crore deposited in the accounts of Archana and Jagabandhu between 2017 and 2022.

The couple is accused of amassing over Rs 30 crore by blackmailing high-profile people, including politicians, businessmen and filmmakers using sexually explicit videos.