Surrender in 4 weeks, SC tells convicts in 41-yr old Odisha murder case

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
New Delhi/ Bolangir, May 21:

The Supreme Court of India today asked former Odisha MLA Prasanna Kumar Pal and Artatrana Singhdeo, convicted in the Parsuram Satpathy murder case in Bolangir town way back in 1974, to surrender in the lower court within four weeks.

The Apex Court ruled that the non-bailable warrant issued agaist the two convicts by a Bolangir court would remain in force till they surrender.

It  may be noted that 41 years after youth leader and journalist Parsuram Satpathy was crushed him under a jeep near Kalamandap field in Bolangir, the Supreme Court had found nine men guilty in the case and punished them with life terms.

Out of the nine found guilty in the case, six have died and only three are alive. 69-year-old Dhobei Podha is the only one arrested so far in this case. Bolangir Police so far have failed to arrest the other two who are on the run.

The other two convicts – former Kantabanji legislator Pal and Artatrana Singhdeo – had approached the Supreme Court praying for retention of his surrender, where it has been rejected.

“Former MLA Pal had applied in the Supreme Court for retention of his surrender in the court. The Court has rejected his request. Instead, it asked Pal to surrender in the lower court within four weeks and submit a proof of the surrender,” said Ashok Mohanty, Government Attorney.