Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) women’s wing in Odisha on Tuesday demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged case of honeytrapping politicians and an Odia film producer by a 28-year-old woman which, the opposition group said, was being suppressed by Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal.
Archana Nag, a 28-year-old woman from Kalahandi district, was arrested by the Bhubaneswar Police last week and remanded in judicial custody on charges that she forced women into prostitution and used them to blackmail influential people. One of them was Odia film producer Akshay Parija who alleged that Archana Nag and her associate were blackmailing him over his obscene photographs with a woman who accused Archana of exploiting her.
BJP Mahila Morcha state president Smruti Patnaik said the police rushed to arrest Archana Nag but did not probe the conspiracy. Patnaik claimed that senior ruling party leaders were also involved in the case. “The government must make public all information regarding the involvement of all BJD leaders, ministers, Police, and bureaucrats retrieved from the gadgets seized by the police. We want a CBI probe into the case as police have failed to make any visible progress in the case,” she said.
Congress leaders too have alleged that people in the administration must be involved in the conspiracy. How could Archana Nag manage to run her empire without the police and administration’s knowledge? While journalists are barred from entering the assembly and state secretariat, Archana was allowed to enter the assembly complex without any restrictions,” said Yashir Nawaz, president of Odisha Congress’ student wing.
{{/usCountry}}Congress leaders too have alleged that people in the administration must be involved in the conspiracy. How could Archana Nag manage to run her empire without the police and administration’s knowledge? While journalists are barred from entering the assembly and state secretariat, Archana was allowed to enter the assembly complex without any restrictions,” said Yashir Nawaz, president of Odisha Congress’ student wing.
{{/usCountry}}Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police Prateek Singh said a case was registered against Nag.
“Her modus operandi was to reach out to her potential victims, get them over to her house and get intimate with them which were recorded by secret cameras. She then blackmailed the victims, who were from influential backgrounds. We are looking into her bank details and transactions and have sought details from the Reserve Bank of India. Efforts are on to identify all the victims blackmailed by Nag,” the DCP said.
Police officers familiar with the development said Nag, who stayed with her family in Kesinga in Kalahandi district before coming to Bhubaneswar had blackmailed politicians of the ruling BJD, BJP, some Odia film producers, government officers and prominent businessmen.
Nag, the eldest daughter of a school teacher, and her Jagabandhu Chand worked together and were serial blackmailers, one officer alleged.
“Recently she targeted a BJD MLA but that case did not proceed further as the MLA apparently gave in. So did a prominent jeweller who paid ₹50 lakh two years ago,” a senior police officer said, adding that three cases were registered against Nag in the past. Nag is said to be on good terms with a prominent hotelier in Bhubaneswar who helped her.
On her Facebook page which has been disabled, Archana Nag had put photographs with prominent politicians including former speaker and BJD MLA Surya Patro. Patro has denied that he was involved.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said BJP leaders should first look at the photo of their leader, former leader of Odisha BJP legislature party KV Singhdeo, with Archana before pointing fingers at the ruling party.
In photographs of Nag’s huge mansion, one could see winding stairs, elaborate outdoor seating arrangements and a rooftop swimming pool. She often let out her palatial house for shooting Odia TV serials and advertisements. Outside, a fleet of luxury cars was parked.
Since January 2021, Archana and her husband Jagabandhu started two companies called Additya Prestige Agro Private Limited and Golden Empress Pvt Ltd with their registered office in east Bhubaneswar. The first company was listed as a wholesale business, the second was classified as hotel and restaurant business.