In a major setback to him, the Bhadrak Additional District and Sessions Judge Court on Friday summoned Dhamnagar MlA Muktikanta Mandal to appear before it on October 21 in connection with the murder of one Niranjan Jena 14 years ago.
Though the MlA had applied for an anticipatory bail in the High Court last month, the hearing of it is yet to be held.
The MlA has moved the High Court after the Bhadrak Additional District and Sessions Judge Court incriminated him in the murder of Niranjan Jena. The court acted on the direction of the High Court last month.
Jena of Sugo village under the Basudevpur police limits, who was killed in November 2002 in his dying declaration at the Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), accused six persons, including Muktikanta Mandal, of the assault on him.
Though Dusasan Jena, uncle of the deceased, had lodged an FIR at the Basudevpur police station alleging that the MlA is the main accused, the then Basudevpur police station IIC Benudhar Nayak deleted the lawmaker’s name from the chargesheet.
Decrying the police action, Dusasan filed a petition at a Bhadrak court in August 2007. However, his petition was dismissed. later, Dusasan moved the Orissa High Court.