Paradip, Dec. 27: Managing director of Odisha Stevedores Limited (OSL) Mahimananda Mishra was sent to jail today.

Mahima has been accused of orchestrating the murder of Mahendra Swain, the general manager of Seaways Shipping and Logistics Limited.

Mahima and his subordinate B.K. Bal, who were brought from Bangkok to Paradip on Tuesday, were produced before the Kujang judicial magistrate, first class. With a non-bailable warrant pending against them, the court dismissed his bail plea and remanded them in police custody. The police had made elaborate arrangements outside the court complex.

The court, while rejecting their bail applications, allowed the cops to take Mahima and Bal to four-day remand. The police sought remand as the involvement of several other persons is suspected in the murder case. The court granted the remand, said public prosecutor Suresh Chandra Das.

The cops also brought Sushant Sethy today on a 10-day remand. Sethy had allegedly facilitated Mahima's escape from Odisha to Thailand and arranged for his stay at a five-star hotel, vehicles and made all payments.

"He has been provided with a mattress, a blanket and a pillow. He had rice, dal and a vegetable curry for lunch. He did not ask for food from outside. Unlike VIP prisoners, he did not throw tantrums. He was cordial with the jail warders," he said.

The alleged use of muscle power by the OSL chief to sidetrack his rivals from the trade ultimately invited his downfall. As rivals sought to eat into the stevedoring trade, he allegedly hatched the plan to eliminate the local head of the rival shipping company. However, the plan went awry.

He entered the stevedoring business in 1978. At that time, the whole of the cargo handling in Paradip was being done manually. Stevedoring then was controlled by companies from outside the state. However, he then managed to take a firm grip on the trade by working at a lower price than his rivals.