The Rayagada Aditional District and Sessions Judge Court at Gunupur has acquitted Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda in two cases due to absence of evidence. However, several other cases are pending against him at various courts in the district.
Panda was accused of looting paddy crops from a person’s farmland at Dimiriguda village in 2001 and abducting a Works Department Junior Engineer in 2004. Hearing the two cases on Tuesday, the court pronounced its judgement and acquitted the top Maoist leader.
At the same time, the court directed Panda to depose before it again on March 18 and 19 for hearing on other cases against him.
Earlier on February 4, the Supreme Court had rejected Panda’s bail plea in the Nayagarh police station attack case.