Raurkela: In a major breakthrough in Raurkela Circuit House illegal firearms recovery case, Odisha Police have arrested absconding youth leader Prakash Paswan from Samastipur in Bihar.
Paswan, a suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker who served as a representative to Union Tribal Affairs Minister and Sundargarh MP Jual Oram, went into hiding on August 14 following the recovery of four illegal firearms and live ammunition from Room No. 7 of the Panposh Circuit House. Two criminals were initially apprehended from the government-run facility in the early hours of August 15, leading to the subsequent arrests of seven more individuals linked to the illicit arms network. The suspects, several with prior criminal records involving assault, illegal weapons, and intimidation, had been using the high-security facility as a hideout for over 20 days since July 21.
Police suspected that Paswan played a key role in arranging the rooms under his influence, allowing armed individuals access to the state-run guest house meant for official and VIP use.
Following the raid and mounting public scrutiny, the BJP suspended Paswan on August 16 on grounds of gross indiscipline, misconduct, and violation of party ethics. Paswan had also filed an anticipatory bail application in the High Court, after the Panposh SDJM court issued a non-bailable warrant against him.
Meanwhile, Rourkela Police launched a multi-state manhunt, tracking Paswan across Delhi, Assam, Rajasthan, and areas near the Nepal border. He was ultimately detained at Samastipur through a joint coordinated effort by Bihar Police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF).
A team from Rourkela Police was dispatched to Bihar last evening to complete the necessary documentation and formalities before bringing him back to Odisha for detailed interrogation. Investigators expect his custody to yield crucial insights into the illicit arms syndicate, how the firearms entered the Circuit House, the purpose behind sheltering the armed suspects (including any potential plans for major criminal activity or contract killings), possible involvement of other high-profile individuals, and any administrative lapses that bypassed protocols at the government facility.
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Senior officials, including the Western Range DIG and the Rourkela SP, are expected to address the media upon the team’s return.
