Top Odisha Maoist Sabyasachi sent to jail after end of 10-day remand

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Brahmapur, July 28:

Odisha’s top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda was sent to jail after his 10-day remand for interrogations by the local police ended today. Sabyasachi was produced before the SDJM court here before being sent to jail.

Crime Branch police will take Sabysachi on remand from July 30. The SDJM court Nayagarh had on Thursday allowed Crime Branch police to take Sabyasachi on remand.

The Crime Branch had sought Sabyasachi’s remand in connection with the attack on the armoury at the district headquarters town of Nayagarh in February 2008 and the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati in August 2008.

Crime Branch ADG BK Sharma told reporters in Bhubaneswar that the agency had on Wednesday requested the Phulbani SDJM Court to allow it to take Sabyasachi on a five-day remand for interrogation in the VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case.

It had also urged the Nayagarh SDJM Court to allow a five-day remand of Sabyasachi in the case of the Nayagarh armoury loot and killing of policemen, Sharma said.

Sharma said the Crime Branch would first interrogate Sabyasachi in the Nayagarh case and then quiz him on the motive behind killing the VHP leader and his disciples at Chakapada in Kandhamal district.