Mahanga Double Murder: Salepur Court Quashes Police Petition Challenging Fresh Investigation Order

The court of the Additional District Cum Sessions Judge (ADJ), Salepur on Wednesday rejected the revision petition filed by police challenging the order of a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) for fresh investigation into the Mahanga double murder case and submission of the call detail records (CDRs) of three persons.

 
“Challenging the decision of JMFC Court, Mahanga police had filed the petition in the ADJ court on the basis of a letter issued by the Cuttack SP and the affidavit of Mahanga IIC,” said the petitioner’s advocate, Prabin Kanungo.

 

Earlier on November 20, the JMFC, Salepur had expressed displeasure over the slow pace of investigation into the Mahanga double murder case in which State Law Minister Pratap Jena’s name had figured in the FIR.

 
The Court had directed Mahanga police for fresh investigation and to submit CDRs of three persons comprising the Minister’s assistant Bapi Biswal, Block Chairman Sharat Naik and the late Prafulla Biswal for the period between December 2020 and February 2021.

 
Notably, former Mahanga block Chairman and BJP leader Kulamani Baral along with his associate Dibyasingha Baral were hacked to death on January 2, 2021.

 
After investigation, police had filed a charge sheet against 14 accused, but dropped the name of Minister Pratap Jena.

 
Later, the JMFC Court had directed the Mahanga police to reinvestigate the case as the Minister’s name was not mentioned in the charge sheet though the petitioner had filed an FIR at the police station against a number of persons including the Minister, alleging their involvement in the murder.