KENDRAPARA: Former district judge Justice Krushna Chandra Kar passed away at his residence here on Tuesday due to heart failure. He was 91. Kar, during his posting in Cuttack had convicted eight persons to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of woman journalist Chhabirani Mohapatra in Jagatsinghpur under sections 376, 302 and 34 of the IPC. Chhabirani was raped and murdered on October 3, 1980 on the banks of Biluakhai river.
All the accused were later acquitted by the Orissa High Court in 1993. But the Supreme Court in 2002, set aside the order of the High Court and convicted all the accused to life imprisonment upholding Justice Kar’s judgment. After his retirement, Justice Kar was engaged in social work in Kendrapada. He is survived by three sons and a daughter. Kendrapara MLA Sashibhusan Behera, former minister Ganeswar Behera and others condoled his death.