Odisha blackmailing case: ED arrests Archana Nag under PMLA

Archana Nag has been accused of allegedly amassing wealth by blackmailing prominent people in Odisha using sexually explicit videos

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday arrested Archana Nag, who has been accused of allegedly amassing wealth by blackmailing prominent people in Odisha using sexually explicit videos, under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and took her on six days of remand even as she refused to cooperate in the probe.

The ED had earlier lodged a case of money laundering against Archana, her husband and others. (File image)

The 28-year-old Nag, arrested by Odisha police in October following two FIRs including one by filmmaker Akshay Parija who alleged that he was blackmailed to pay ₹3 crore to her, has so far not disclosed any information into her alleged business of honey-trapping of influential people of Odisha even though she was taken on remand by ED last week.

Before she was taken on seven-day remand, Archana had said she was waiting for ED and claimed she will expose everyone.

Her husband Jagabandhu Chand, who is also in jail over blackmailing charges, was also taken into nine days remand by ED and is likely to be interrogated by officials along with his wife.

The ED had earlier lodged a case of money laundering against Archana, husband Jagabandhu, business associates Khageswar Patra and Shradhanjali Behera.

Last month, the ED had interrogated several people including Odia film producer Akshay Parija, filmmaker Pramod Swain, businessman Amiyakant Das, BJD MLA Sudhir Samal’s brother Gangadhar Samal, property dealer Prabhat Ranjan Pati, hotelier Siba Prasad Das and architect Ranjit Behera.