Nayagarh girl’s murder: SIT interrogates prime suspect Babuli, son

BHUBANESWAR: The special investigation team (SIT) on Saturday questioned 'prime suspect' of the Nayagarh girl’s murder Babuli Nayak, his son and one of their drivers, Bijay Behera, police sources said.
IPS officer Arun Bothra, who heads the SIT, briefed DGP Abhay about progress of investigation in a meeting here and is believed to have got some vital clues in connection with the alleged kidnap and murder of the five-year-old in July.
Bothra said the SIT should be given some time before expecting it to solve the case. “We are working hard. We should be given 14 days,” Bothra told the media.
Another SIT member said the probe team checked all the rooms in the three storeyed house of Babuli. “Babuli and his son were examined for about one hour while driver Bijay was interrogated for more than two hours. The SIT collected details of the vehicles owned by Babuli and their drivers. The team has got some clues,” the officer said.
Sources said Bijay was interrogated twice: first in circuit house in presence of Bothra and again by a team of officers at Nayagarh Town police station (PS).
Two separate political teams, one led by BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra and another led by Congress general secretary in-charge of Odisha A Chella Kumar visited the girl’s parents, Ashok Sahoo and Saudamini, at their native place Jadupur pressing for quick government action.
Speaking to media persons at his village, Sambit reiterated the BJP demand for minister Arun Sahoo’s resignation and CBI probe into the crime. “The probe can’t be impartial as long as Sahoo continues as a minister. The whole of Odisha know who the culprit is. Shockingly, no one has been arrested five months after the murder,” Patra said.
The BJP has been accusing Sahoo of shielding Babuli, husband of a former Zilla Parishad member of the BJD. The girl’s parents have earlier named Babuli as the person behind the crime.
A Chellakumar, who separately led a Congress team to the village, said whoever is the culprit must be given capital punishment. “The Congress has been demanding impartial probe from the very beginning. However, the BJP is doing narrow politics on the sensitive issue,” he said.
BJD spokesperson Lelin Mohanty said the opposition should refrain from doing petty politics. “The SIT has continued its probe. It will unravel the truth,” he said.