In a dramatic turn of events, the Commissionerate Police in Bhubaneswar arrested five individuals, including a woman involved in a live-in relationship, for abducting her partner and demanding a ransom of ₹10 lakh.
The swift operation, executed within 12 hours of the complaint, showcased the police’s efficiency in leveraging mobile tower data, CCTV footage, and local intelligence to rescue the victim and apprehend the culprits.
The incident came to light on the night of April 1, when Anjita Swain complained to the Kharavela Nagar police station, reporting that her brother, Somnath Swain, had been missing for over 24 hours. According to Anjita, a call from Somnath’s phone demanded ₹10 lakh for his release, threatening dire consequences if the amount wasn’t paid. She also mentioned that Somnath had been living with his girlfriend, Prapti Sharma, who had no information about his whereabouts.
Acting on the complaint, the Commissionerate Police, under the leadership of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner Suresh Devdutta Singh, formed three special teams to investigate. Within hours, the police traced the accused using call records, CCTV footage from across the city, and other intelligence inputs. The victim, Somnath Swain, was rescued from a hotel near SUM Hospital, where he had been held captive, and the five accused were taken into custody.
Investigations revealed a tangled web of personal disputes and greed. Somnath, who had been in a live-in relationship with Prapti Sharma for three years in Jharpada, Bhubaneswar, had a heated argument with her on March 30. The altercation stemmed from Somnath’s suspicion that Prapti was involved with another man. The argument escalated, and Somnath allegedly attacked Prapti, prompting her to devise a revenge plan.
Prapti contacted her elder sister, who informed her boyfriend, Akash Kumar Parida. On the evening of March 30, Akash, along with three accomplices, arrived at Somnath’s rented house in an i20 car. The group assaulted Somnath, forcibly abducted him, and took him to the Green Inn Hotel near SUM Hospital. There, they held him hostage and used his phone to demand ₹10 lakh from his sister, Anjita.
The police operation culminated in the arrest of all five accused—Rakesh Chandra Barik (33), Shyamsundar Sahu (22), Shivarama Behera (28), Akash Kumar Parida (29), and Prapti Sharma (23)—from the hotel. Two cars used in the crime were also seized. Prapti hails from Nayabazar in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, while Akash is from Anandpur in Odisha’s Keonjhar district. The other three accused, all associates of Akash, reside in the Bharatpur area of Bhubaneswar.
A background check revealed that Rakesh Chandra Barik had a prior criminal record, with a case registered against him in 2020 at Khandagiri police station under case number 427. The police are continuing their investigation to determine if the group has been involved in similar crimes.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Suresh Devdutta Singh praised the team’s efforts, stating, “The Commissionerate Police acted swiftly and decisively. Within 12 hours of the complaint, we rescued the victim and arrested all the accused. This success is a testament to our use of technology and teamwork.” Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagmohan Meena was also present at the briefing.
The accused have been forwarded to court, and the police are probing further to uncover any additional motives or accomplices in this shocking case of betrayal and extortion.
