The police on Saturday sealed Sarada lodge, the property of absconding accused servitor Ipsit Pratihari, here. The Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) on Friday had ordered seizure of the bank accounts of Pratihari and to seal his property.
The police accompanied by a magistrate asked the boarders of the lodge to vacate and then sealed the lodging. This order was passed in connection with the June 17 Niladri Bije ritual of the lord Jagannath wherein servitors had allegedly attempted to kill the District Magistrate while he tried to stop climbing of chariots by a non servitor.
The servitors too attacked the journalists covering the incident. District Magistrate (DM) Arabind Agarwal had filed two complaints with the police while journalists had filed one complaint jointly.
The police registered criminal cases under several sections of IPC. The six servitors named in the complaint of the DM had absconded.
The cops obtained non bailable arrest warrants against them but despite raids in various places failed to apprehend them.
Then in response to prosecution’s petition the court declared them proclaimed absconders and ordered to attach their moveable and immoveable property.
Meanwhile, of the six absconding servitors, five got stay orders on the attachment orders and many were enlarged on conditional bail from the Orissa High Court.
In another development in this case, following the order of Justice Sanju Panda, three senior lawyers Ashok Mohanty, Ashok Parija and Manas Mahapatra on Saturday called on the DM and submitted an affidavit of Jayakrushna Mahasuar, one of the accused pledging not to repeat such behaviour as part of the out of the court settlement as directed by Justice Panda.
The discussion in the Circuit House is in progress and it is learnt that the DM is reluctant to go for an out of court settlement of the case.
Sources said the DM said to lawyers that some servitors on Saturday threatened his men in the temple.
On the other hand, Damodar Mahasuar, the prime accused in this case was granted conditional bail till November 29, depending upon the outcome of this out of the court settlement with the DM, sources said.