The Orissa High Court on Thursday allowed the anticipatory bail application of Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda’s wife Subhashree alias Mili Panda and asked her to surrender before the court of JMFC, Soroda in Ganjam district.
“On her surrender, she shall be released on bail by executing a bail bond of Rs 20,000 and two sureties of like amount,” said an order passed by Justice JP Das. The court also asked the lower court to grant her bail under condition that she shall appear before the investigating police officer whenever necessary and shall not indulge in similar activities in future.
Mili Panda, now an advocate by profession who unsuccessfully contested in the State Assembly elections in April 2014, was booked by the Badagada police of Ganjam district in May 2013 under charges of treason and conspiring to wage war against Government by collecting arms and also for possessing explosive substances and harmful publications.
Apprehending arrest after an NBW was issued against her, Mili approached the High Court in November last seeking anticipatory bail. She had mentioned in her petition that although, charge sheet in the case has already been filed, the investigating police officers have not been able to gather any convincing and clenching evidence against her.
Claiming that she was not involved in any way supplying logistic support to Maoists as claimed by the police, she in her petition said police registered the case against her in a mechanical manner after recovering some cash, old map of the police station, a torchlight, zelotine sticks, three bundles of bidi, two packets of khaini, some ORS pouches and some Maoist literature and posters from two suspects on the morning of May 15, 2013 on the outskirts of village Rangamatia under the police station.