The Commissionerate police on Wednesday heightened security for Gitanjali Panda, the widow of judo coach Biranchi Das who was shot dead by notorious gangster Sandeep Acharya alias Raja Acharya in 2008.
The police have also provided protection to the other witnesses in the case who were apprehending danger to their lives from the gangster after his release from jail.
The CP has provided two Personal Security Officers (PSOs) to Gitanjali and deployed a Havildar and two Constables at the Judo Hall here to provide protection to the witnesses in the case, sources said.
The Khordha District and Sessions Judge had on Tuesday ordered Raja Acharya’s conditional release for a surety bond of `1 lakh. The District and Sessions Court which was also the Trial Court in the case, has imposed multiple conditions on his release.
Acharya will have to surrender his passport with the trial court during the period of his stay out of the prison. He has to inform about his movement within the city to local police stations concerned.
The bail order will be cancelled if Acharya is found indulging in any form of criminal activities or intimidating any of the witnesses in the case, including Biranchi’s wife Gitanjali. Acharya had applied for bail in Supreme Court which ordered his release on Friday. This was the second time he moved the apex court for bail. His first application was rejected in 2011 when the SC had directed the Orissa High Court to expedite the hearing of his appeal.