Bhubaneswar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered and seized a vehicle, identified as a Ford Endeavour, belonging to lady blackmailer Archana Nag, in an overnight search operation in connection with an ongoing money laundering probe.

ED has also arrested one Khageswar Patra, an active and close associate of Archana Nag

A high-profile sextortion racket had been carried out in Bhubaneswar. The vehicle was found to be abandoned and without a number plate. Earlier, the ED recovered several incriminating documents and evidence in the case at hand.

Archana Nag was allegedly involved in extortion by honey-trapping affluent people. She, along with her associates, was allegedly involved in secretly recording their inappropriate videos and later used to threaten and blackmail them. She also used to threaten the victims of false police cases against them. She also threatened to release their inappropriate videos on social media.

She allegedly amassed over Rs 30 crore along with her husband between 2018 and 2022 by blackmailing and threatening some politicians and rich people.

“Directorate of Enforcement(ED) has conducted searches at 7 premises (including residential premises and office) in the case involving Archana Nag, Jagabandhu Chand, Khageswar Patra, Shradhanjali Behera and others in Odisha on November 10 in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation being carried out by ED in high profile sextortion racket operated by Archana Nag and her associates by targeting influential and affluent persons,” ED’s officials press release read.

An FIR dated September 9 was registered against Archana Nag & Shradhanjali Behera under various sections of IPC, and Section 67 of the IT Act, at Nayapalli Police Station in Bhubaneswar.

Odisha Police arrested Archana Nag on October 6 and Jagabandhu Chand on October 10.

“The ED has also arrested one Khageswar Patra, an active and close associate of Archana Nag, who was involved in acquiring and generating properties worth crores of rupees through extortion by way of honey-trapping high-profile and rich people and secretly making their inappropriate videos and threatening and blackmailing them for lodging false police cases against them and making viral of their inappropriate videos in social media,” ED’s statement read.