CUTTACK: The court of JMFC-Salipur on Friday condoned the delay on the part of police towards conducting a re-investigation into the double murder of BJP leaders in Mahanga and directed Salipur SDPO, the Investigating Officer (IO), to take up day to day investigation of the case and submit further investigation report as soon as possible.
Earlier on June 13, the court had expressed strong displeasure over the delay by Mahanga police in the re-investigation of the double murder case while directing the IO to submit an updated case diary including the status report of re-investigation by June 20.
Accordingly, SDPO, Salipur Bimal Barik had submitted an updated case diary and status report on June 20. The case record was put on Friday for further order. Barik had filed an up-to-date case diary and status report stating therein that the investigation is continuing and is likely to be completed within a short span of time.
The previous IO was transferred on May 14, 2022 and as per the order of Superintendent of Police, Cuttack, he had taken charge of investigation of the case on June 16, 2022, Barik apprised the court.
On perusal of the material on record, the court which found that there was a break in investigation from May 11, 2022 to June 16, 2022, however, directed Barik to take up day to day investigation of the case and submit further investigation report.
Former Mahanga block chairman and BJP leader Kulamani Baral and his associate Dibyasingh Baral of Nrutnaga were brutally murdered by some miscreants near Jankothi when they were returning home on a motorcycle on January 2 evening last year.
Based on the FIR of Ramakant Baral, son of deceased Kulamani Baral, a case was registered against 14 accused persons including former Law Minister Pratap Jena. But, the IO had submitted a chargesheet against 13 accused persons deleting Jena’s name on the ground that there was no prima facie evidence to establish his involvement.