Gajapati Additional District and Sessions Judge Arun Kumar Sahu on Thursday acquitted Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda in a case due to absence of evidence.
Panda’s lawyer Deepak Patnaik and Swarup Pal said Panda had been accused of being provided guns, ammos and explosives by two persons at Petaram Square in Luhagarh village in district on December 5, 2012. Hearing the case, the court pronounced its judgement and acquitted the top Maoist leader. As many as 42 cases were pending against Panda at various courts in the district. Out of these cases, he has been acquitted in 22 cases so far.