A court directed police to launch a fresh probe into the allegations of involvement of Panchayati Raj and Law Minister Pratap Jena in the double murder that occurred in Mahanga of Cuttack district earlier this year.
Hearing a protest petition filed by Ramakant Baral, son of deceased BJP leader Kulamani Baral, the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court, Salepur, directed the Mahanga police to start an investigation anew and also to investigate the alleged involvement of the Minister in the case.
Family members of Kulamani accused the Mahanga police of dropping the Minister’s name in the charge-sheet filed in the court.
BJP State spokesperson Pitambar Acharya demanded Minister Jena’s resignation from the Cabinet in view of the court’s order to police.
Notably, on January 2 evening, Kulamani and his associate Dibyasingh Baral were critically injured after being attacked by miscreants near Jankoti in Cuttack district when the duo was returning home by a motorcycle. They later succumbed to their injuries.
Around a month later, Prafulla Biswal, an accused in the murder case, was found dead on road near Tangi.
A total of 10 people were arrested in connection with the murder of Kulamani and Dibyasingh.