Cuttack, March 13: The crime branch special team and local police have arrested Kartik Pani, 38, the prime accused in the murder of a farmer and RTI activist Krupasindhu Sahu, from an isolated place at Niali in the city.

Pani had been on the run for over a month after the murder took place.

"We have produced him before court, and he will be taken on a three-day remand for further interrogation," said additional director-general of police (crime branch) B.K. Sharma.

Sources said Pani was hiding in a forest near a village in Niali. Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted a raid and arrested the accused.

Earlier, Niali police had arrested three persons, including Pani's mother Saila, sister Manju and nephew Dilip Jena, in connection with the murder.

Sahu, a farmer and RTI activist, had gone missing from the Krushnaprasad panchayat area on January 26 while his body was recovered from the Tanla river embankment side on January 31.

His family members alleged that Sahu were getting threats after he had sought information pertaining to fund distribution in the block towards line sowing of paddy, fertiliser and seeds through the Right to Information Act.

Preliminary investigations also revealed that Sahu was strangulated and later his body was buried near the riverbank.

The death of the RTI activist had subsequently sparked off widespread resentment and the issue was also raised in the Assembly with the Opposition members demanding an impartial probe into the matter.

On February 9, the state government ordered a crime branch inquiry into the murder.#