BARGARH: The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge in Bargarh on Monday acquitted Bhatli MLA and BJP leader Irasis Acharya of murder in the fatal shooting of a youth in 2018.
Bulu Satnami (20), a resident of Chamarada in Sohela, was shot dead by unidentified miscreants when he was on way to attend a meeting at Bhatli BJP office near Acharya’s residence on June 1, 2018.
Acharya’s lawyer Sarad Pradhan said the court acquitted the BJP MLA due to lack of evidence. Even police admitted that no motive was found during investigation. At least 29 witnesses including the doctor who performed postmortem and the investigating officer of the case were examined during the trial.
“My client was not present in Bhatli when the firing incident took place. Acharya suffered injuries after being attacked by a group of BJD workers during Bijepur by-election in 2018 and had gone to Bhubaneswar for treatment. When he came back to Bhatli in July, police called him on the pretext of inquiry and hurriedly arrested him,” said Pradhan.
Besides, police did not comply with the mandatory provisions of law while arresting Acharya due to which the SDJM of Bargarh had served a show cause notice to then Bhatli OIC. There were many discrepancies in reports submitted by police. It was clear that the case was manipulated to frame Acharya falsely in the incident, the lawyer added.
As per reports, Bulu suffered critical injuries in the firing incident and was pronounced dead by doctors at VIMSAR, Burla. After preliminary investigation, police first arrested Pramod Podh and Bablu Nag for their involvement in the crime. A month later, Acharya along with one Bunty Purohit was arrested in this connection and sent to judicial custody on July 27. The BJP leader was released on bail after around seven months.