Withdrawal of case against Maoist deferred by court

The court fixed the next date of hearing of the case on June 30 and directed the police to produce Prasad on the day, Public Prosecutor Promod Kumar Padhi said.

Prasad is lodged in Angole jail of Andhra Pradesh for involvement in a case in the neighbouring state.

On direction from the state home department, two petitions were filed on June 8 before the SDJM of Koraput and Jeypore appealing for the withdrawal of cases against the Maoist leader and four other Maoists.

Release of the five Maoists was one of the conditions of the deal between Maoists and mediators and the Orissa government during abduction of the former Malkangiri collector R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi.

Krishna and Majhi were abducted by the Maoists on February 16. Majhi was released on Febraury 22 and Krishna on February 24.