RTI campaigner murder accused nabbed

CUTTACK: The Crime Branch on Friday arrested the main accused in the murder Krupasindhu Sahoo, 40, a Niali-based farmer. Sahoo was allegedly strangulated for seeking information through RTI about misappropriation in distribution of government funds meant for farmers of the area.
The accused, Kartik Pani, who was on the run since January 26, was arrested from Niali. ADG (Crime Branch) B K Sharma said the department would seek court’s permission to take him on remand.“We will bring him on remand to know the exact motive of the murder,” said Sharma.
Earlier, police arrested Kartik’s mother, sister and nephew for helping him dispose the body. Official sources said he was arrested when police were tipped off that he was visiting the village to meet his family.
After filing the RTI application, Sahoo and his family started receiving threat calls. On January 26, Sahoo went missing and his body was recovered from Tanla river bed two days later. His wife lodged a police complaint on January 28 alleging that Sahoo was kidnapped by some influential people of the village for demanding information through RTI. She alleged that after killing her husband, Pani buried his body in the river bed.
The issue had created furore in the state and opposition parties had demanded proper probe into the matter. Bowing to the pressure, government ordered Crime Branch probe in February. Pani is a history sheeter and was convicted in a murder earlier. Police claimed the murder was fallout of previous enmity between the two. “After his interrogation, the exact reason would be known. Our effort will be to take Pani on remand for a week,” said a senior police officer.