Bhadrak: A caretaker of Dayal Ashram in Bhubaneswar has made a sensational claim regarding lensman Manas Swain murder case as she deposed in the court and recorded her statement as a witness in the much-hyped murder case, Wednesday. Caretaker Sarojini Seth alias Soni was deposed in the court of district and sessions judge and recorded her statement as the fourth witness. The counsel for the defendant failed to interrogate her due to lack of time. The court scheduled the next date of hearing to August 2 when the defendant’s lawyer can interrogate her.
In her statement, Sarojini said that she came to Bhubaneswar from Ranpur in Nayagarh district searching for a job and worked under Sharmistha Rout, the owner of Dayal Ashram. She took leave and went to her house January 22, 2022 after being permitted by Sharmistha but had to rush back, January 29 after being directed by the latter. After her arrival, Sarojini went to the office of Sampurna web channel owned by Sharmistha which was at some distance from the Dayal Ashram. There she found Sharmistha, Jhuna Bhoi, Niranjan Sethi, and others. There she heard them talking about getting the camera chip back from cameraman Manas Swain.
All of them came to the ashram the next day and made a video call to Manas telling him to return the camera chip. Manas informed them that they have to come to Chandbali and refused to return the camera chip unless they pay him Rs 10,000.
Later, all of them discussed how to bring back Manas from Chandbali. The next day, February 7, she visited Sharmistha’s house for some work but found her absent. There she talked to her sister-in-law when Sharmistha and Jhuna Bhoi arrived. When enquired by Sharmistha’s sister-in-law, Jhuna informed her of having brought back Manas by staying awake all night. Jhuna made a video call and showed Manas sitting inside a car along with three others when Sharmistha’s sister-in-law wanted to see him.
Later, they brought Manas to the ashram. There he was thrashed black and blue, dragged by his collar to the top floor, and brutally assaulted again. They snatched their wallet and ATM card from his pocket and locked him up inside the room. All of them again came back in the evening and brutally assaulted Manas with a bamboo stick and a wooden plank. At that time, Sarojini was watching television on the ground floor. She confirmed in her statement that she heard the sound of assault on Manas. Later, all of them closed the door from outside and went away.
The next day morning, she found out that Manas was missing from the room and found some broken pieces of bamboo stick and wooden plank in the room. There she found a handwritten letter of Manas with his address written on it along with his appeal to rescue him. Sharmistha flung the letter and the fragments of bamboo stick and wooden plank out of the window when she informed her about the letter. She came to know about Manas’s death when media persons arrived at their ashram, she said in her statement.