With DGP Sanjeev Marik stating that the revolver seized from top Maoist Sabyasachi Panda during his arrest at Brahmapur recently was the one looted from the Nayagarh Armoury, it has become evident that the rebel, who is being portrayed as a hero with his wife, even claiming that Panda will be soon out of prison to join the mainstream, was indeed involved in the Nayagarh attack in which Maoists had looted the armoury besides killing several policemen on duty.
Panda’s wife Mili Panda earlier claiming that her husband has not killed anyone himself, the DGP’s statement suggests Panda’s direct involvement in the attack, which shook the State and left an indelible indentation on police morale.
Ironically, Mili has been suggesting tough action against policemen and security forces as they, according to her, are the real killers, not Sabyasachi. But, it seems the top Maoist leader is being given an image makeover. His body language and confidence suggests everything is going according to plans for Milli, who wants Sabyasachi out of jail at the earliest and possibly join politics like herself, said an analyst.
Meanwhile, after end of a 10-day remand with the Brahmapur police, Panda was taken on a nine-day remand by the Crime Branch police on being produced before the SDJM court on July 30 amid tight security.
The SDJM Court had earlier allowed the Crime Branch to take him on remand in connection with three separate cases related to the Maoists’ attack on the armoury at the district headquarters town of Nayagarh in February 2008.
The Crime Branch sleuths have also requested the Phulbani SDJM Court to allow it to take Sabyasachi on a five-day remand for interrogation in the VHP leader laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, sources said.
Earlier, on July 28, while fixing July 30 as the date for producing Sabyasachi, the SDJM Court, Nayagarh had rejected Crime Branch’s appeal to handcuff him while bringing him from the Brahmapur jail to Nayagarh.
The SDJM had refused to accept the Crime Branch’s argument that Sabyasachi’s case was a rarest of the rare kind and observed that since trained armed guards will be accompanying a disarmed accused there is no need to handcuff him during his to and fro journey between Berhampur and Nayagarh.
The police had conducted a rehearsal on Tuesday on security arrangements and production of Sabyasachi in the court apprehending trouble during transit as Maoists are observing the Martyr’s Week now.