Bhubaneswar: The Crime Branch investigating into the murder of cameraman Manas Swain is examining the versions of prime accused Sarmishta Rout and her associate Jhuna Bhoi, while the duo is on a 3-day police remand. Jhuna is cooperating with the investigation, the CB stated.
“On Monday, the CB team visited Manas’ house in Ranapur. The family members (wife and brother) identified the half burnt chappal and half burnt ear phone of Manas recovered from Chandikhol,” a CB official said and added that the ‘memory chip’ was not found in his house.
The CB team has confirmed that Manas was beaten with bamboo sticks and a baton at Dayal ashram in Bhubaneswar. All the four weapons of offense have been recovered on the basis of leads shared by the ashram caretaker. The caretaker threw the weapons as per Sarmistha’s instructions, the CB stated.
Jhuna has identified the weapons of offense which were produced before the Professor FMT, SCB MCH (Cuttack). “The Professor has opined that the injuries on Manas’ body were likely to be inflicted from the seized weapons. Such injuries can cause death in ordinary course of nature,” the CB official added.
