Cuttack: The Orissa High Court directed Thursday sarpanch of Laxmiprasad panchayat Soumya Ranjan Pradhan in Nayagarh district to seek protection from SP Pratyush Diwakar. He has been given 15 days time to present his petition to the SP. Pradhan had moved the court November 27 seeking protection for him as well as his family members. He said he was apprehending to life’ from the state Agriculture and Higher Education Minister Arun Sahoo.
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An audio tape of Pradhan’s alleged conversation with Sahoo had gone viral on social media over Pari murder case. Pradhan had also alleged that Sahoo was trying to suppress the ‘Pari murder case’ and was pressurising the district administration to close the matter.
The Odisha High Court also directed Nayagarh SP that he should initiate necessary steps within next seven days of the receipt of application from Pradhan. If the SP found out that there was no life threat to Pradhan, the matter should be disposed of.
In his petition court, Pradhan had made the Home Department Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), Nayagarh district Collector Poma Tudu, SP Diwakar and the suspended Sadar police station IIC Rinarani Sahoo as parties.
The five-year-old Pari from Jadupur village in Nayagarh district had gone missing July 14. Her skeletal remains stuffed in a jute bag were recovered from the backyard of her house nine days later.
PNN
