Post News Network
Bolangir, June 10: Artatrana Singhdeo, one of the three living persons who were convicted by Orissa High Court in connection with the sensational murder of the then young leader Parshuram Satpathy in 1974, surrendered before a local court here Wednesday. Singhdeo, who had been absconding after being convicted last month, surrendered before the district sessions court at around 9 am. He was sent to a jail by the court later.
Singhdeo refused to comment on the case when reporters asked him about his involvement in the crime. Dhobei Podha, one of the convicts, was arrested by police from Kulerbahal village under Sadar police limits May 15. Another convict Prasanna Pal, who is also alive, is yet to be caught by police.
Earlier, the district sessions court had issued warrants against former Kantabanji MLA Prasanna Pal, Podha and Singhdeo May 14 last and asked the district superintendent of police, Deepak Kumar, to take necessary action against them. After the court order, though police arrested Podha next day, they failed to catch Pal and Singhdeo. After the district court issued the warrant, Pal moved the Supreme Court seeking anticipatory bail. However, the apex court rejected his bail application and stated it would be considered after he surrenders in a lower court.
Public prosecutor Ashok Mohanty said the sessions court had asked the convicts to surrender before it within four weeks of issuing of warrants. Necessary legal action would be taken for ignoring the court order, it had said. Orissa High Court May 9 this year had convicted nine persons in connection with the murder of Parshuram Satpathy in 1974. The HC then awarded life imprisonment to all the nine convicts.
When the verdict came after 41 years, six of the nine convicts had died. After it was known that three persons were still alive, the sessions court issued warrants against them. Satpathy, a journalist as well as leader of a party, was killed after miscreants crushed him under the wheels of a jeep when he was walking along Kalamandal Road of the town November 29, 1971. Satpathy’s brothers dismissed his death as an accident and lodged a complaint with police alleging it was a planned murder for political reasons.
