Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Tuesday extended the interim protection to the BJP leaders, Bhrugu Baxipatra and Golak Mohapatra, in connection with the Chhatrapur Councillor Laxmidutta Pradhan murder case.
The court took a decision to this effect after the police failed to submit the case diary. The next hearing is on May 4.
Chhatrapur police in Ganjam district had served notices on Mohapatra and Buxipatra on January 29 and asked them to appear in the Chhatrapur police station on February 7 and 9 respectively for interrogation.
However, both the leaders did not act on the notice citing health issues and later moved the High Court for anticipatory bail through their counsels.
Notably, the incident had taken place in the broad daylight on September 16, 2017, 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.
