Bhubaneswar: Serial offender Raghunath Barik alias Raghua was arrested by Commissionerate Police on Saturday from Bhubaneswar in a case of extortion.
According to sources, Raghua was held on the basis of a complaint lodged by a sweetmeat trader belonging to Airfield area of the Odisha capital.
After being released on bail Raghua resumed his anti-social activities ahead of the festival season and had demanded Rs 5 lakh protection money from the trader, the police said.
As the trader denied to give money, the accused blocked the way to his shop with a heap of stones. A case was registered by Airfield police in this connection, the police added.
Upon examination of CCTV footage police ascertained Raghua’s role in the crime and arrested him from an undisclosed location in Bhubaneswar, said sources.
“He is an accused in a murder case. Few years back Raghua was allegedly involved in the murder of one Amaresh Nayak and was jailed in this connection,” a senior police official said.