BHUBANESWAR: Police on Sunday detained at least five persons in connection with the mysterious death of cab driver Bidyadhar Sahoo (32) of Khurda district’s Aranga village, whose body was found at Chandaka-Baranga Road near Daruthenga on the city outskirts on Saturday.
They are said to be part of the group of persons who had kidnapped Sahoo after he allegedly cheated them of lakhs of rupees on the promise of providing jobs. He allegedly died by suicide in the house in Jajpur, where he was held captive by the abductors. They later disposed of his body and abandoned his cab near Daruthenga.
Sahoo worked as a driver for an online cab services firm. He also worked as a driver for a woman, who worked at a job consultancy firm in the city, along with assisting with her office work. The duo and their associates are accused of cheating many youths in various districts of Odisha on the promise of providing them jobs.
Police have also launched a search operation to nab the woman, who is absconding since Sahoo’s abduction. On the day, the call recording of one of the kidnappers and Sahoo’s wife Mamina Khatua went viral. He could be heard telling Khatua that they will not harm her husband, but the family would have to pay them Rs 2.4 crore ransom for his release. “Raids are continuing in different districts to apprehend all the accused persons and further probe is on,” said DCP Jagmohan Meena.