Bhubaneswar, Sep 21: In a shocking twist to the Ola driver abduction case, police have revealed that Vidyadhar Sahoo, the missing driver, died by suicide while allegedly being held captive in Jajpur.

His body was later found dumped in the Chandaka forest area, raising serious questions about the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to Badagada police, Vidyadhar was abducted on September 15 by individuals who had reportedly paid him money for job placements through a consultancy run by a woman named Joshna.

Vidyadhar worked as a middleman, connecting job seekers to Joshna’s firm, which allegedly defrauded multiple people of over ₹5 crore by promising government and private sector jobs.

When the promised jobs failed to materialize, victims began demanding refunds. Vidyadhar, unable to return the money, became unreachable. On the day of his disappearance, he was taken to Jajpur and confined in a house. While in custody, he reportedly used a towel to hang himself.

The abductors, upon discovering his lifeless body, panicked and transported it in his own car to Chandaka forest, where they disposed of it in an attempt to destroy evidence. Police have detained three individuals in connection with the case and are investigating whether the suicide occurred under duress or if foul play was involved.

Given that Vidyadhar died while in the custody of the abductors, police have registered a murder case and are probing the possibility of abetment to suicide or direct involvement in his death.

The case has exposed a larger job scam network operating in Bhubaneswar and Jajpur, with Joshna at the centre of the alleged fraud. Authorities are now expanding the investigation to trace the money trail and identify more victims.