BHAWANIPATNA: A gram rakhi was arrested on Thursday night for demanding and taking a bribe of `55,000 in connection with investigation related to a murder case.
The accused Akhaya Durga of Bhainri village was posted at Kutru outpost under Jaipatna police station. He, however, stated that he took the money on behalf of ASI Kutra outpost Krutibas Pujhari to absolve some persons of murder charges.
According to reports, a 34-year-old youth Chaitanya Rana of Bhainri village was found hanging from the ceiling of his house on August 18. His mother had met Kalahandi SP B Gangadhar alleging that Chaitanya was murdered by his uncle’s family members over a land dispute. The SP called for an inquiry and the uncle Nirakar Rana along with his son Shankar Rana were arrested on September 14.
Subsequently, Nirakar’s family members told some locals and also made posts on social media alleging that the gram rakhi had taken `55,000 from them to give it to some senior police officials to save the accused father and son from murder charges.
The revelations became a major embarrassment for Kalahandi police and the SP ordered the Dharamgarh SDPO to investigate. On October 8, the gram rakhi met the SP and submitted that he had taken the money from the accused persons on the direction of the ASI Pujhari. He had handed over the money to the ASI.
The investigation, however, revealed that Durga had collected the money for himself and Pujahari had no connection with it. Durga was arrested and forwarded to court.