Maoist leader Ganti released

Koraput: A local court on Friday freed Maoist leader Ganti Prasad Rao alias Prasadam accepting state government`s plea for withdrawal of a case against him as promised for securing the release of former Malkangiri District Collector who was abducted in February this year.

Koraput district judge Ajit Kumar Patnaik accepted the state government`s application and ordered Ganti`s release.

Ganti, arrested by Orissa police from Vishakhapatanam in November 2010 on the charge of encouraging Maoist activities in the state, was among the five persons whose freedom was promised by the state government as a condition for the release of the collector R Vineel Krishna and a junior engineer.

The four others, including Maoist leader Ramakrishna`s wife Padma, had already been released from jail after cases against them were withdrawn.