The BJP on Thursday alleged that the ruling BJD has been shielding the conspirators behind the murder of VHP leader Swami laxmanananda Saraswati.
"Then Crime Branch IG Arun Ray on October 6, 2008 had admitted that many influential persons were involved in the killing of Swamiji. He also stated that one group has conspired and engaged another group for killing of Swami. A day after the murder of Swamiji, fact-based reports were also published in newspapers highlighting the involvements of certain influential persons. But they were not brought under the purview of inquiry as yet," rued Kandhamal district BJP president Karendra Majhi.
The State Government's attempt to convict eight persons in the murder case is just eyewash, alleged Majhi. He also alleged that though FIRs had been filed against 15 persons at that time, no action had been taken as yet on those complaints. The leader urged the Government to speed up the legal process to book the conspirators.
Meanwhile, Swami laxmanananda Saraswati Shradhanjali Samiti secretary laxmikant Dash hailed the life imprisonment to eight convicts in the murder laxmanananda and his four associates and blamed the Government for its failure to nab the conspirators even after five years of the murder.