BHUBANESWAR: Sabyasachi Panda, secretary of State Organisational Committee of the CPI (Maoist) and one of the most wanted ultras in Orissa, has been named in the sensational murder of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati in Kandhamal three years back.
The additional chargesheet of the Crime Branch of Orissa Police, which has been investigating the murder, has six more names. The first chargesheet had seven names too.
In fact, the additional chargesheet has names of some top Maoist cadres operating in the State.
Besides Sabyasachi, Pulari Rama Rao alias Udaya, Somanath Dandasena, Keshava Rao alias Azad, Kartik Jaresh alias Darsu, Lalu and Madan have been charged by the CB.
Of the seven, Udaya and Dandasena are in police custody while the rest are at large.
Udaya, a senior cadre, was arrested by Special Operations Group in April 2009 from a hideout in Rayagada’s Gudari.
He was the commander of Banshadhar Dalam. Dandasena was held along with him. Similarly, Azad is also a top operative and calls the shots in Bansadhara Dalam now.
However, it was under the watchful eyes of Sabyasachi that the murder was believed to have been planned. “He is the man who planned it and ensured that the operation was successful. He is our prime accused though he was not present at the spot,” CB sources said.
Last week, the Orissa High Court, which is monitoring the case, had asked the CB to submit a fresh chargesheet.
The Crime Branch was ready with the additional chargesheet and filed the same.
The seven have been charged under Sections 449, 302, 380, 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25/27 of the Arms Act. The additional chargesheet will be clubbed with the preliminary one.
The first one was filed on January 30, 2009 in which Duryodhan Sunamajhi, Munda Badamajhi, Sanatana Badamajhi, Bijay Sanseth, Gananath Chalanseth, Bhaskar Sunamajhi and Budhdev Naik were charged under Sections 302, 449, 380, 120(B) and 34 of the IPC and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.
CB sources said, more names could come up later. Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati was gunned down in his Jalespeta ashram in Kandhamal on August 23, 2008.
The cold-blooded murder had triggered communal violence in the district which spread to other parts of Orissa.