Bhubaneswar: In a major success for law enforcement, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate apprehended notorious criminal Subham aka Raja Sahani (39) from Rishikesh in Uttarakhand after an intensive, six-month-long inter-state manhunt.
According to Commissionerate Police, Raja Sahani, a resident of Lohiyanagar village under Muffasil police station in Begusarai district of Bihar, had escaped from Choudwar Circle Jail in Cuttack on the night of October 3, 2025, along with his co-accused Madhukanta Kumar Rana @ Singh. He was the second fugitive from the jailbreak to be arrested. Sahani was wanted in multiple serious cases, including dacoity with murder and illegal possession of arms. He was originally lodged in the jail in connection with a case from Panikoili police station in Jajpur district. The escape was detected the next morning, after which Choudwar police registered a case.
A special team was formed under the supervision of the DGP, Odisha, and the Commissioner of Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate. Teams conducted raids and gathered intelligence across several states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Assam, Nagaland, Delhi, and Uttarakhand.
Despite the accused frequently changing locations, identities, and avoiding electronic traces, sustained technical and human intelligence ultimately led the police team to Rishikesh. A team led by SI Sankarsen Pradhan of Lalbag police station, with local support from Rishikesh and Muni ki Reti police stations, intercepted and arrested him near Natraj Chowk in Rishikesh on April 1, 2026.
During investigation, it was revealed that Raja Sahani had been living under fake names like Kamlesh Pandey and Subham. He had travelled through Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Mysore after the escape. He was also wanted by Karnataka police in a similar armed dacoity case registered in Hunsur, Mysore. The accused was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Rishikesh, and transit remand was obtained to bring him back to Cuttack.
Further investigation is underway to identify those who may have provided him shelter after he escaped from jail. With this arrest, both fugitives involved in the Choudwar jailbreak have now been brought back to justice. Police have praised the coordinated efforts of multiple teams and the support received from various state police forces.
