Bhubaneswar: The sessions court here Tuesday ordered the Jharpada jail authorities to release notorious gangster Raja Acharya on bail following a Supreme Court order for the same issued last week. Raja has been serving life sentence in the 2008 Biranchi Das murder case.
With this order, it is only a matter of time before the murder convict is released by the jail authorities after completing all formalities.
According to sources, the court has ordered Raja’s release on a surety of `1 lakh given by a legitimate bailer and seven tough conditions, including appearance in the police station where the case was registered once every 15 days, intimating his stay during the bail to the local police inspector and to not influence or threaten the witnesses.
Earlier, the Commissionerate police had moved the sessions court, urging it to impose stringent restrictions on him before ordering his release from jail.
Acharya is the prime convict in the murder of judo coach Biranchi Das, who used to train child marathoner Budhia Singh.
After Biranchi was murdered April 13, 2008, the Badagada police had arrested Raja from Goa May 28, 2008. Later, in 2011, a court here convicted Raja and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Talking to the media, Police Commissioner Yogesh Bahadur Khurania said the Commissionerate police had appealed to the court to impose stringent restrictions before ordering the release of Raja from jail.
“We are yet to receive the release order. We could get to know on what conditions he has been granted bail only after receiving the order,” Khurania said.
Earlier, Biranchi’s wife Gitanjali Panda had alleged threats to her life. Five other witnesses in the case had also demanded security cover fearing for their lives.
Actor Leslie Tripathy, with whom Biranchi reportedly had a one-sided love affair, which is said to be the reason behind the murder, has also raised security concerns for her family. Talking on the issue, Khurania asserted that no one should be scared because Raja was set to come out of jail.
“Whoever perceives threats can directly apply for security and it will be definitely provided,” he said.
Raja has been languishing in Jharpada Special Jail here for the last nine years.
The police had also arrested Raja’s accomplice Chagala in connection with the same murder. Chagala too was found guilty in the case and sentenced to life in prison.
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