Additional District Judge (2), Sambalpur Ashok Panda on Thursday acquitted Sulochana Gadnayak alias Gita alias Jharana of all charges for Maoist activities. Sulochana was a hardcore Maoist and the in-charge of the Bargarh-Sambalpur-Deogarh zonal committee of the ultras.
The judge also acquitted Sulochana’s brother-in-law Satyaban Mirdha and Sarita Munda for lack of evidences.
After proclamation of the judgement, Satyaban and Sarita were released from the jail. But Sulochana is still in the judicial custody as many other cases related to Maoist activities are pending against her in court for disposal.
It may be recalled that during a joint combing operation by the DVF and IRB in the Gariakhaman forest on Jan 15, 2011, the team had arrested Sulochana, Sarita and Satyaban. Sulochana married Ganesh alias Rahul Mirdha, the brother of Satyaban. Sulochana and Satyaban were working together to strengthen the Maoist organisation in Sambalpur and nearby districts, as informed by the police then.
But the ADJ acquitted all the accused as the police couldn’t provide sufficient evidence against them, sources said.