Bhubaneswar: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Crime Branch has released two female members of a family after a lie detection test regarding the probe into the Pari murder case in Nayagarh district, SIT sources said on Sunday.
Notably, SIT had picked up Saroj Sethi (18), his mother and ASHA worker Sailabala Sethi and sister Anita for interrogation on Saturday morning.
While Sailabala and Anita were released on Saturday night, Saroj was still being detained for further questioning, the sources said.
They added that no concrete result came out of the lie detection test of Saroj. So SIT has decided to conduct another lie detection test.
Also Read: Pari Murder Case: Seek Central Probe, Child Rights Panel Urges Odisha Govt
It may be mentioned that the SIT had earlier interrogated Saroj, who is the neighbour of the deceased girl.
During interrogation, Saroj had said that the girl used to come to his house to eat berries from a tree at his backyard. A day before she went on missing, the girl had gone to his house to collect berries.
Suspecting his complicity in the murder, the Crime Branch had taken his blood, saliva, clothes and bedsheets for forensic tests.
On December 17, Saroj had claimed to the media that SIT chief Arun Bothra offered him Rs 5 lakh to confess to the crime and told him to present him as a minor by mentioning his age as 17 years although he is 18 years old.
Asserting that he is innocent and has no knowledge about the incident, Saroj said the SIT chief will be responsible if the police took any action against him and his family.
A day after the youth’s allegation, Odisha Police on Friday had refuted the ‘bribe’ allegation terming it ‘false and baseless’.
A press release by Odisha Police said, “Unfounded allegation by one person has been used to cast aspersions on the investigation agency. It may end up demotivating officers who are sincerely working to unearth the truth. It is both unfortunate and unethical.”
Also Read: Pari Murder Probe: Allegation Against SIT Chief False & Baseless, Says Odisha Police
Also Read: Pari Murder Case: ‘Bribe For Confession’ Charge Against SIT Probe Chief
