Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati murder case: Eyewitness testimony re-recorded, accused still unpunished after 17 years

The testimony of a key eyewitness in the Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati murder case was recorded once again on Sunday, even as the main accused remains unpunished more than 17 years after the incident.

Swami Madhab Chaitanya, regarded as a crucial eyewitness in the case, appeared before the court and recorded his statement. His testimony had earlier been recorded through video conferencing at the Malkangiri court in Odisha.

Eyewitness Raises Concerns Over Investigation

Expressing deep concern over the prolonged delay in delivering justice, Swami Madhab Chaitanya pointed to what he described as serious lapses in both the investigation and trial process.

“Even after 17 years, no test identification parade has been conducted. The main accused is roaming free and was even granted bail. The key conspirators are also moving freely. There has been no outcome from the three commissions constituted by the Crime Branch to probe the case,” he said.

In connection with the murder, the prime accused, Naxal Azad, along with his associates, was earlier arrested and produced before the court. However, the case has remained unresolved, with no punishment awarded to the principal accused so far.

Case Background

The murder took place on August 23, 2008, when Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and four of his followers were brutally killed. The incident triggered nationwide outrage and led to major political developments in Odisha, including the collapse of the BJP–BJD coalition after BJD president Naveen Patnaik severed ties with the BJP.

The killing was followed by nearly a month of widespread violence, during which at least 38 people lost their lives. The case was initially investigated by the Crime Branch and later examined by multiple commissions, including the Panigrahi Commission, the Justice Sarat Chandra Mohapatra Commission, and the Justice A.S. Naidu Commission constituted in 2012.

Although the Justice Naidu Commission submitted its report to the then BJD government, the findings were never made public.

The fresh recording of the eyewitness testimony has once again drawn attention to the prolonged judicial process and the continued lack of closure in one of Odisha’s most sensitive and consequential criminal cases.