Police arrested three individuals in connection with the theft of brown sugar from the malkhana (evidence room) of Soro Sessions Court on November 2. The arrested, Laxman Das (60), Laxmidhar Das (43), and Gagan Samal (31), residents of Raghunathpur village under Soro police limits, were produced before the local court after medical examination at Soro Health Centre.
Authorities seized 505 grams of brown sugar, valued at approximately Rs 50 lakh, from their possession.
The arrests followed the earlier apprehension of prime accused Bhavani Shankar Mahal of Kahalia village in Nilagiri. During interrogation, Mahal confessed to handing over the stolen brown sugar to Laxman Das for further sale. Acting on this information, a special team led by Sadar SDPO Subhransu Nayak and Soro IIC Mukund Murari Patra conducted raids and apprehended the trio, who were reportedly peddling the contraband locally.
A fresh case has been registered against them under the NDPS Act, in addition to the ongoing investigation into the court malkhana theft case (Crime No. 901/2025). The initial theft involved gold and silver jewellery, firearms, and large quantities of brown sugar, stolen from the Soro Sessions Court evidence storage on the night of November 2.
