Paradip, Jan. 1: Paradip police today quizzed stevedoring tycoon Mahimananda Mishra, who was arrested from Bangkok last week.

The police are interrogating him to gather evidence for the October 26 murder of Hyderabad-based Seaways Shipping and Logistics Limited's general manager Mahendra Swain.

Mahima, who has been brought here on police remand, is being interrogated at the Paradip police station amid tight security. "We will interrogate him till January 4 when our remand period ends," said inspector of Paradip police station Sashanka Sekhar Nayak.

Mahima was brought to the police station from jail for questioning this afternoon. The police are keeping a close watch to thwart possible acts of disturbance by Mahima's supporters, Nayak said.

Another police officer said that during Mahima had initially cooperated with them in the probe during the preliminary round of questioning. However, he has claimed that he was not involved in the murder of Swain, he said.

Swain was shot dead by hired killers on a busy road of Paradip on October 26 allegedly for his business rivalry with Mahima.