Languishing in jail for over six years now, Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha (CMAS) leader Nachika Linga is likely to walk free as the Orissa High Court on Wednesday granted him conditional bail in the much-hyped Narayanpatna police station attack case of 2009.“Booked in about 45 criminal cases, the leader representing peasants, bonded labourers and tribal people of Koraput district had earlier been granted bail in the remaining 44 cases,” informed his counsel PK Jena.
Justice AK Mishra allowed Nachika to go on bail on furnishing bail bond to be fixed by Assistant Sessions Judge Court of Koraput subject to other conditions as deemed just and proper by the trial court.
The HC bail order came following a recent direction from the Supreme Court. Nachika had earlier moved the Supreme Court following rejection of his bail application by the High Court in January last year.
The apex court in March this year had given only six-week time to the trial court to examine all witnesses.
The trial court, however, had failed to examine the remaining four witnesses within the stipulated time as the courts in Odisha could not function properly in March-April this year due to lockdowns and shutdowns.
The trial court had also rejected his bail saying the application was “premature” following which he had again moved the apex court, which on October 26 requested the High Court to dispose of the case in two weeks.