In a major setback to the State Government, the Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Sangram Mohanty, son of Maoist interlocutor and Jan Adhikar Manch convener Dandapani Mohanty in as many as eight criminal cases lodged by the Odisha Police against him.
The court also reprimanded the State Government and even threatened to proceed with perjury for filing false affidavit against him.Sangram was arrested by the police on December 5, 2012 and ever since he is in judicial custody.Sangram’s lawyer Suresh Tripathy argued in the court that his client was falsely implicated in all the cases as ruling party wanted to neutralise him after he joined the Odisha Jan Morcha (OJM) headed by Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra.
Tripathy argued that it was an attempt by the State to “display dictatorial streak with an obvious terror” so as to render OJM paralysed and making others speechless and consequently, retreat.Sangram was arrested barely five days after his joining the OJM in November 2012 and as many as 14 cases were filed by the Odisha Police against him, said Tripathy and added that the police, at the behest of the ruling party, launched terror and arrested an innocent person, who is languishing in jail.
A bench headed by Justices comprising V Gopal Gowda and Adarsh Kumar Goel granted bail to Sangram after hearing Tripathy and the State Government counsel.