Bhubaneswar: In a blow for BJD leader Pratap Jena, the Supreme Court on Saturday directed the Odisha government to respond to a petition on Mahanga double murder case within 4 weeks.
Ranjit Baral, the son of Kulamani Baral, one of the deceased, had moved the SC seeking justice after the Orissa High Court in October last year gave the BJD leader and former minister a clean chit by quashing the order of the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Salepur, that had taken cognisance of offences against him as an accused in the case.
“The represented parties can file counter affidavit and place the statements of witnesses recorded by the courts of concerned session judge as well as concerned district magistrate in the case,” the apex court stated, while emphasising on timely and comprehensive response from the Odisha administration.
While senior advocate Aman Lekhi appeared for Ranjit Baral, senior advocate Siddharth Agarwal represented Pratap Jena.
BJP leader Kulamani Baral, the then block chairman of Mahanga, and his associate Dibyasingha Baral were brutally murdered on January 2, 2021, while returning home on a motorcycle. While Kulamani was declared dead at Mahanga CHC, Dibyasingh succumbed to his injuries at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Initially, a double murder case was registered on the complaint filed by Ramakant Baral, son of Kulamani. After Ramakant’s demise, his son Ranjit Baral renewed the complaint.
The court of Additional Sessions Judge, Salepur, on August 28 last year convicted nine of the accused and awarded life imprisonment to them. However, Arabinda Khatua was acquitted for lack of evidence.
