KalingaTimes Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, May 7: Orissa government on Wednesday removed Bhubaneswar-Cuttack twin-city Police Commissioner Binay Behera from his post in the wake of allegations about his meeting with Raja Acharya, prime accused in Judo coach Biranchi Das murder case.

Inspector General of Police Bijay Kumar Sharma, who was heading the Crime Branch of the State police, will replace Behera as Police Commissioner for the twin-city with immediate effect, the government ordered.

Behera was transferred as Inspector General (Technical) at the State Police Headquarters in Cuttack.

Simultaneously, the government posted Inspector General of Police Surendra Panwar as head of the Crime Branch in place of Sharma.

The transfer orders were passed after a high level meeting of the Home Department was held at the State Secretariat. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who holds the Home portfolio, chaired the meeting.

State Home Secretary Tarunkanti Mishra, however, told the media persons that Behera's transfer had nothing to do with reports mentioning that he attended a meeting where the gangster was present.

Earlier in the day, 13 Inspectors of Police were transferred in the twin city.

It may be recalled that the Deputy Commissioner of Police of Bhubaneswar Amitav Thakur was transferred in the wake of the murder of the Judo coach.

Meanwhile, gangster Raja Acharya, who was brought to Bhubaneswar from Goa, was produced before a local court.

The court granted five days' police remand for the accused after the police filed an application to take the accused into their custody to interrogate him in connection with the Biranchi Das murder case.

Although the police did not allow the gangster to talk to the media at the airport or court premises, Acharya uttered the names of IAS officer Priyabrata Patnaik and Oriya video album actor Leslie at the airport.

The accused also uttered the names of actor Bidusmita and her brother Arun Mantri at the court complex.

The police had earlier questioned Priyabrata Patnaik, Leslie and Bidusmita in connection with the case.

The police, however, had not been able to know about the motive behind the murder of the Judo coach so far. The interrogation of the gangster was likely to help police ascertain the motive behind the murder of Das.

The gangster had surrendered before the Goa police on Monday. The police had failed to trace him even after conducting a series of raids at various places in Orissa and outside.