Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Choudwar Jail Official Arrested Over Alleged Escape-Related Forgery
Police arrested a senior official from Choudwar Circle Jail.
They say he may have changed or forged jail records.
The investigation concerns the escape of two murder suspects last year.
The suspects were identified as Madhukant Rana and Raja Sahani.
The jailer, Santosini Dash, made the complaint against the official.
She said he may have helped the men escape.
She also said he copied her signature to shift blame for security problems.
A court sent the official to jail custody for 14 days while the case is investigated.
Choudwar Circle Jail senior superintendent Sujit Kumar Raula was arrested from his Bhubaneswar home on Sunday evening.
Police allege Raula forged jail documents after two murder accused escaped on October 2 last year.
He was produced before a Kataka court and remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
The case followed a complaint by then-jailer Santosini Dash, who alleged Raula facilitated the escape and forged her signature.
Police are investigating alleged manipulation of the jail minute book and entry-exit registers.
- Who
- Sujit Kumar Raula, senior superintendent of Choudwar Circle Jail, was arrested; the case involves the escaped murder accused Madhukant Rana and Raja Sahani and complainant Santosini Dash.
- What
- Raula was arrested over alleged forgery and manipulation of jail records connected to the escape of two murder accused.
- When
- He was arrested on Sunday evening; the escape occurred late on October 2 last year, and Dash filed her complaint on January 17 this year.
- Where
- Raula was arrested at his home in Bhubaneswar and produced before a court in Kataka; the alleged document manipulation involved Choudwar Circle Jail.
- Why
- Police allege the documents were forged to conceal or shift responsibility for security lapses after the two accused escaped.
- Arrested official
- Sujit Kumar Raula, senior superintendent of Choudwar Circle Jail
- Arrest location
- Raula’s home in Bhubaneswar
- Custody
- 14-day judicial custody
- Escaped accused
- Madhukant Rana and Raja Sahani
- Escape date
- Late October 2 last year
- Complaint filed by
- Santosini Dash, then-jailer of Choudwar Circle Jail
- Records under investigation
- The jail minute book and entry-exit registers
- Court development
- The Orissa High Court withdrew interim protection and rejected Raula’s anticipatory bail plea on August 29