Laxmidutt Pradhan Murder Case: Police Issue Notice To Two BJP Leaders

Berhampur: On a day when BJD leaders Arun Sahu and Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak in Chit Fund Scam were summoned by CBI, after a scathing attack by Amit Shah on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Chhatrapur police in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Tuesday issued notices to BJP leaders Golak Mohapatra and Bhrugu Buxipatra in 2017 Laxmidutta Pradhan murder case.

Informing the media here, Chhatrapur SDPO Ramesh Chandra Sethi said the two BJP leaders Golak Mahapatra and Bhrugu Buxipatra have been issued notice to appear in the Chhatrapur police station on February 7 and 9 respectively.

Asked about the notice, Mahapatra said he is yet to receive any such notice so far. But he will respond to the notice after he receives the report.

He, however, maintained said that the police have served the notice on him at the behest of the state government.

“The state government has become vindictive as the CBI has summoned two senior BJD leaders for interrogation in connection with the Seashore chit fund scam. Why the police, that had called me after the incident and recorded my statement, has again sent a notice to me after one and half years?” Mahapatra questioned.

Notably, the incident had taken place in the broad daylight on September 16 last year when a group of men dragged Pradhan (35), the councillor of ward no-6, out of his house in Chhatrapur and attacked him with sharp weapons. Pradhan was taken to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur where he succumbed to injuries.

According to police, Pradhan was an accused in the murder case of Sakuru Behera, a CPI supporter, at Chhatrapur on July 23, 2014.