Prime accused in the murder of RTI activist Krupasindhu Sahu arrested

The prime accused in the murder of Krupasindhu Sahu, a RTI activist from Odisha, was arrested by the five member team of the Crime Branch of Odisha Police yesterday. He was arrested at Sarana Chhak in Cuttack’s Niali block where he had gone into hiding. He has been convicted for murder in the past, and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Pani had spent about seven years in prison and on appeal, the Orissa High Court had granted him bail in June 2014 pending hearing in the case. After his arrest, he was produced before a local court and the Crime Branch has sought his remand for three days for interrogation to find the motive of the murder and more evidence.

A farmer Krupasindhu Sahu, resident of Nachhigan village of Krushnaprasad Gram Panchayat under Niali Police limits, had filed RTI application seeking information about the financial sanction and fertiliser utilisation in paddy plantation from the from District Agriculture Officer. He was receiving threat calls and was subsequently murdered on January 26. Readers may refer to “Body of Krupasindhu Sahoo exhumed by the Odisha police from the Taanla river bed”  Read more at: http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/body-krupasindhu-sahoo-exhumed-odisha-police-taanl#.VQOiftKUe1U

A complaint was registered by Sahu’s wife with Niali Police stating that a phone call was received from an anonymous person who had asked for money to reveal information about her husband. The police tracked the call and reached Kartik Pani’s house in Krushna Prasad village. Based on information from Pani’s mother, sister as well his nephew who were arrested, the body of the RTI activist was recovered from the river bank. Readers may refer to “Three arrested in the murder of the RTI activist Krupasindhu Sahu” Read more at : http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/three-arrested-murder-rti-activist-krupasindhu-sah#.VQOi_tKUe1U. Following a public outcry, the case was handed to the Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Feb 9.