Pari Murder Case: ‘Bribe For Confession’ Charge Against SIT Probe Chief

Pari murder case Saroj Sethi SIT chief Arun Bothra

Nayagarh: In a new twist to the Pari murder case, a youth at Jadupur village in Nayagarh district on Thursday alleged that the chief of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Crime Branch had offered him Rs 5 lakh to confess to the crime.

The youth, Saroj Sethi, a neighbour of the deceased minor girl, told the media that the Crime Branch is suspecting his involvement in the case as the minor girl had visited his house a a day before she went missing.

“The fact is that the girl used to visit our house to eat berries from a tree in our backyard. However, suspecting my involvement in her murder, the Crime Branch has collected my saliva and blood samples. Later, the SIT chief called me and offered Rs 5 lakh to own up the girl’s murder. He also told me that the police will present me as a minor by mentioning my age as 17 years although I am 18 years old,” the youth said.

Asserting that he is innocent and has no knowledge about the incident, he said the SIT chief will be responsible if the police took any action against him and his family.

Despite attempts by Odisha Bytes, SIT chief Arun Bothra couldn’t be contacted for his response to the youth’s allegation. However, sources in SIT rubbished the allegations and said, “Dozens of people of the locality have been questioned. Over a dozen houses searched and blood samples of around 60 people collected for examination. The probe team has not yet named any accused and continuing with its job to unravel the mystery. But this youth is suddenly making these allegations snacks of politics.”

The youth’s allegation came a day after the SIT team submitted a preliminary investigation report to the Orissa High Court, stating that the minor girl was probably raped before she was murdered.

“The SIT has found semen stains on the frock of the girl. The frock also seems to have been placed on the body after the crime,” a source privy to the investigation had disclosed to Odisha Bytes.

Also Read: SIT Submits Report To HC: Sexual Assault Whiff Behind Pari’s Murder