Five PWD Officials Arrested In Road Scam Linked To Journalist Mukesh Chandrakar's Murder
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Chandrakant Govarna confirmed the arrest of five PWD officers in the case, including two retired executive engineers.
Published : July 30, 2025 at 2:01 PM IST
Bijapur: The Chhattisgarh Police arrested five officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) on Wednesday for their involvement in irregularities during the construction of the Gangalur-Miratul road in Bijapur district. Journalist Mukesh Chandrakar was allegedly murdered after he broke the story about the wrongdoing in the road construction.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Chandrakant Govarna confirmed the arrest of five PWD officers in the case, including two retired executive engineers (EEs), two current EEs, a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), and a sub-engineer.
The arrested officials were produced in the court, where they were sent on judicial remand for two days. The police are now interrogating them about the case and getting more details about the irregularities in road construction.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the journalist Mukesh’s murder has already presented a 1,241-page charge sheet in the district court. It named contractor Suresh Chandrakar, his brothers Ritesh Chandrakar and Dinesh Chandrakar, and Mahendra Ramteke.
Suresh Chandrakar was the main accused who planned the journalist's murder after he reported irregularities in the Nelasnar-Mirthur-Gangaloor road construction work executed by Suresh and his associates, police said.
The four accused were charged under sections 103 (murder), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), 61 (criminal conspiracy), 239 (intentional omission to provide information of offence by person bound to inform), and 249 (harbouring offender) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), said Gurjar, heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
More about Mukesh Chandrakar
An independent journalist from Bijapur, Mulkesh, would travel to Naxal-affected areas and report stories firsthand.
His reports were published on his video portal, which was popular among the locals, and on other platforms, for which he would contribute as a freelancer.
On January 1, 2025, Mukesh went missing after leaving home. After two days, his body was found in a closed septic tank. The police arrested the road contractor, the alleged mastermind of the murder, from Hyderabad.
Read More
