Popular Oriya album actress Leslie Tripathy was questioned by the Bhubaneswar police in connection with coach Biranchi Das murder case here on Thursday evening.
During the one and half hour long interrogation at the office of Bhubaneswar police commissioner Binoy Kumar Behera, the actress reportedly admitted that she had approached senior IAS officer Priyabrata Patnaik. She had requested the officer to save her from harassment by gangster Sandeep alias Raja Acharya, the absconding principal suspect in the Biranch murder case.
During his police interrogation earlier this week, Mr Patnaik had admitted that he had once met Raja in presence of the late coach in connection with the Leslie affairs.
Mr Patnaik has now been removed from his posts and placed as an officer without duty by the Orissa government.
Police sources said that Leslie may be summoned once again for questioning in connection with the high profile murder case.
Another album actress Madhusmita is also expected to be questioned by the city police.
Meanwhile, security for Gitanjali Panda, wife of the murdered coach, has been strengthened further in view of the possible threat to her life from the absconding principal suspect Raja.
The police decided to enhance the security for Gitanjali after a meeting between her and the city police commissioner, Mr Behera.
A judo trainer herself, Gitanjali has already started training her late husband’s students at the judo hall here. She has also taken over as the secretary of the Orissa Judo Association, the post held by her late husband.
