Arrested Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda was acquitted in two cases by the Gunupur Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court in Rayagada district of Odisha on Monday.
According to Dipak Patnaik, Panda’s lawyer, one of these pending cases related to an incident of forceful harvesting of paddy from four acres of agricultural field of a landlord in Gudari police station in 2001. There were several other accused in this case along with Panda. All the other accused in this case had been earlier acquitted by the court. The other case related to booth capturing during panchayat elections at Dumulapadar village under Padmapur police station. “In this case also the court acquitted my client due to lack of evidence,” said Mr Patnaik.
