BHUBANSWAR: Bhubaneswar Police on Friday dismissed as a “petty case” the arrest of a woman who has been charged with human trafficking. The accused Archana Nag Chand has been booked under Section 370 of IPC among other offences. She is also accused of blackmailing prominent persons as well as extortion.
Senior officers of Commissionerate Police, however, remained tightlipped and dismissed it as a petty offence, refusing to divulge any details. Archana was arrested by Khandagiri Police Station on basis of a complaint of human trafficking. Interestingly, Odia film maker Akhaya Parija had lodged a complaint with Nayapalli police station last week in which he alleged that Nag and one of her associates were blackmailing him over his obscene pictures and demanding money from him.
Sources said Archana and her husband Jagabandhu Chand are the director and managing director of Golden Empress Pvt Ltd respectively. As per the details available online, Golden Empress is registered at Registrar of Companies in Cuttack and involved in the business of camping sites and other provision of short-stay accommodations.
Jagabandhu mentioned in his Facebook account that he is a worker of the ruling Biju Janata Dal. Archana on the other hand claims in her profile that she is an advocate. The duo stays at a lavish house in Satya Vihar locality of the city.
Several pictures of the couple posing in front of expensive cars went viral after Archana was arrested by the police. Meanwhile, sources said Archana’s lawyer will file her bail petition in a court here next week.
Senior police officers, however, remained tight-lipped. “I do not have details of the case and Khandagiri IIC is also on leave,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh.