BHUBANESWAR/CUTTACK: A day after the Commissionerate of Police gained a five-day remand extension of Dhal Samanta brothers, it claimed to have secured clinching evidence on their involvement in the murder of former aides Dipu Mallick and Omm Prakash.
Though it was still unclear whether Sushil and Sushant Dhal Samanta killed Dipu and Omm themselves or hired contract killers, investigation has so far corroborated their complicity in the crime, Police Commissioner YB Khurania said on Tuesday.
“The investigation into the murder cases has progressed significantly. We have gathered enough evidence to pitch a watertight case against the duo. More details and modus operandi in the murders will be unearthed in next few days after interrogation of the brothers. Raids are also continuing in different parts of Odisha and Visakhapatnam to land further evidence,” Khurania said.
A Cuttack court on Tuesday granted permission for sending the firearms seized from the CDA and Vizag houses of the brothers for ballistic examination at the State Forensic Sciences Laboratories in Bhubaneswar.
As close associates of the Dhal Samantas, Dipu and Omm executed several extortions and murders before they split from the former over a dispute. Dipu and Omm wielded considerable power and terrorised businessmen and contractors alike.
Subsequently, Dipu and Omm started a parallel business of tender fixing and extortion which enraged the Dhal Samanta brothers. Soon after, they hatched a plan to eliminate their estranged aides, police said. Suspicion regarding involvement of Dhal Samantas in the mysterious disappearance of Dipu and Omm heightened after seizure of Dipu’s photograph and driving licence from the former’s Vizag residence earlier this week.
While the Commissionerate of Police is currently focusing on nailing the brothers in the murder cases, a team is parallely probing into the alleged crime ring woven by them across the country. The statements of witnesses and victims are being recorded systematically which would supplement the case.
On the other hand, as the remand period of the Dhal Samantas will end on Friday, the Commissionerate of Police would move a Cuttack court in a day or two seeking the lie detection test for the accused brothers, DCP Cuttack Sanjeev Arora said.
Meanwhile, wife of Omm, Manini Swain has lodged a complaint with Chauliaganj Police alleging that her husband was killed by the Dhal Samanta brothers. On the basis of her complaint, an FIR has been registered, Arora said.