Bhubaneswar: In a fresh development in Archana Nag’s honey-trap racket in Odisha, the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL) on Monday handed over the digital analysis report some more electronic gadgets seized from the lady blackmailer.
A comprehensive report and opies of the digital data of four mobile phones, two laptops and a pen drive were handed over by the SFSL to the Khandagiri police in the second slot, according to reports.
The Commissionerate Police had sent several electronic gadgets which were seized during investigation into Archana’s sex and extortion racket to the SFSL for forensic analysis. Electronic gadgets of Archana and her husband Jagabandhu Chand had been sent to SFSL for analysis.
The SFSL had handed over some digital analysis reports relating to Jagabandhu to the police, court and Enforcement Directorate (ED) a few days ago.
The information contained in forensic report of the electronic gadgets is likely to throw light on alleged links of Archana with high-profile people including influential politicians and businessmen.
Sources said the chats and data which had been deleted from the mobile phones and laptops were successfully retrieved by the SFSL experts and handed over to the court and police.
The forensic report of the Archana’s electronic gadgets will be of immense help to the ED, which is probing into the financial transactions in the sextortion racket.
The ED has already received two diaries of Archana from the Khandagiri Police after the court’s approval besides collecting some other devices used by the lady blackmailer.
The central investigating agency has also interrogated both Archana and jagabandhu after taking them on remand in an effort to obtain information about proceeds of the crime.
While Archana was arrested by police on October 6, her husband Jagabandhu Chand was arrested on October 21. Both were later arrested by the ED in money laundering case.
Archana and Jagabandhu allegedly amassed over Rs 30 crore between 2018 and 2022 by blackmailing and threatening some politicians and rich people. The agency has already traced Rs 2.5 crore deposits in the bank accounts of the couple between 2017 and 2022.
