Mili Panda acquitted by Gunupur court

Gunupur: The Gunupur ADJ First Track Court today acquitted Subhashree Dash alias Mili Panda in the Kutinguda encounter case as the police failed to provide evidence in the matter.

A case was registered against Mili for her alleged involvement in police-naxal encounter near Kutinguda under Gudari police limits in January 2003. Mili’s advocate appealed before the court that his client must be released without any delay since the prosecution had failed to provide concrete evidence against Mili.

On April 5, the court had reserved the final verdict for today after recording the statement of Mili Panda. There were altogether 18 witnesses in the case while only 13 witnesses recorded their statements before the court. Earlier Gudari police had shifted Mili from the Jharpada jail in Bhubaneswar and placed her in Gunupur jail since October 21, 2011. Mili was arrested by Gudari police as an accused in the Kutinguda encounter incident which took place on January 15, 2003.

It may be noted that the Secretary of the State Organising Committee of the CPI (Maoist) Sabyasachi Panda, husband of Mili, had demanded her release from priosn to secure the freedom of Italian hostage Paolo Bosusco. Her name figured in the list of 27 prisoners to be released to facilitate the release of Paolo Bosusco and Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka.  Mili Panda’s release is expected to expedite the safe release of Italian national Paolo Bosusco.