Odisha Blackmailing Case: Archana Nag Walks Out Of Jail After 14 months

Bhubaneswar: Archana Nag, a woman blackmailer who was arrested 14 months ago in a honey-trapping case, walked out of Jharpada Jail in Odisha capital on Tuesday.

Archana’s husband Jagabandhu Chand was at the jail to receive her this morning.

During her brief interaction with reporters, Archana reiterated that she would expose all those involved in this case. “I am not the person who will keep mum against injustice. I will speak up and expose everybody. The court will take action against all persons involved in the case,” she said, adding that she would cooperate in the investigation as per the court’s order.

This came 10 days after Orissa High Court granted her bail in a case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate.

Three cases were registered against her. The HC had earlier granted her bail on August 3 and April 11 in alleged sextortion cases registered at Khandagiri and Nayapalli police stations, respectively.

The 27-year-old was arrested in October last year along with her husband Jagabandhu Chand after her former associate Shraddhanjali Behera accused the couple of taking her obscene photos and using it to force her into honey-trapping politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats. She was booked under Section 370 (human trafficking) of IPC, among other offences.

An FIR was also filed at Nayapalli police station by film producer Akshay Parija, accusing her of demanding Rs 3 crore by threatening to leak his photographs and video of his intimate moments with a co-accused.

Later, the ED arrested her under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED has been investigating financial transactions in the honeytrap racket. Archana and her husband allegedly accumulated assets worth over Rs 30 crore in just four years by extorting money from influential persons through blackmail and honeytrap. The agency traced Rs 2.5 crore deposited in their accounts between 2017 and 2022. She was also found to be in possession of several branded cars including Audi, Ford Endeavour, expensive two-wheelers, a farmhouse and a horse.