Sat, 20/03/2010 - 9:04pm BJP legislator among 14 acquitted in Kandhamal riot case

Phulbani-Orissa
20 Th March

A fast track court in Orissa's Kandhamal district Saturday acquitted 14 people, including a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, in a Kandhamal riot case, an official said.

'Fourteen people have been acquitted in the case,' public prosecutor Bijay Pattnaik said.

BJP legislator Manoj Pradhan and 13 others were acquitted in absence of evidence against them.

'The judge acquitted all of them for want of evidence and the charges could not be proved,' said Ajit Pattnaik, counsel for Pradhan.

Arson cases were filed against the 14 men August 25, 2008, by Sushant Dalbehera of Dadingia village.

The BJP legislator is an accused in six more cases of rioting and arson in Kandhamal district.

Sat, 20/03/2010 - 1:30pm VHP leader Togadia arrested for trying to walk into Kandhamal,released

Bhubaneswar, Mar 20

Firebrand VHP leader Praveen Togadia was tonight arrested alongwith his supporters by the Orissa Police as they tried to enter riot-hit Kandhamal district, defying a ban on their visit.

Togadia, who arrived at Charichowk in Boudh district, neighbouring Kandhamal, was held under Section 151 of the CrPc when they tried to walk into Kandhamal district despite a ban, police said. After they were asked not to proceed to the district, they initially held a sit-in protest at Charichowk.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Pravin Togadia was arrested late on Friday night for attempting to enter Kandhamal district defying a ban on his entry.

The VHP leader, however, was released early on Saturday morning, according to the Kandhamal police.

Togadia, who was accompanied by several leaders of VHP and Bharatiya Janata Party, initially staged a dharna at Charichhak, one of the entry points to Kandhamal, when he was prevented from entering the communally sensitive district.

Togadia and few of his supporters were taken into custody when tried to walk into Kandhamal around midnight and lodged at the forest inspection bungalow at Charichhak.

After his release, Togadia left for Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district without entering Kandhamal. He was scheduled to address a VHP meeting at Bhanjanagar.

Meanwhile, the VHP started observing a day-long-bandh in Kandhamal today.

The VHP also announced to stage demonstrations in different parts of the state during the day to register protest against Togadia's arrest.

Thu, 18/03/2010 - 4:52pm Lipsa Naik six year boldly disposes in the Phulbhani court-Orissa

Phulbhani-(Orissa)
Lipsa Naik(6), is totally ignorant of the administrative and judicial system of the State but has shown her boldness and bravery in giving her testimony as the eye witness to the murder of her father in the First Track Court No.1 at Phulbani in spite of lot many threats against her and her widow mother.
In the said Court on last 14.03.2010, she has identified BJP M.L.A Manoj Pradhan as her father's killer who has been elected from the G. Udayagiri constituency while in the Jail. When the hon'ble Court asked her about who was the murderer of her father, this Lipsa boldly uttered her confession pointing this M.L.A Manoj Pradhan who did the said heinous crime. Her widow mother also gave her testimony as 2nd eye witness to this murder of believer Manoj Naik of Tiangia village of G. Udayagiri, Kandhamal.
This was happened just after the communal violence broke out after the killing of Swami Laxamanananda Saraswoti when Lipsa, her another sister Kuni(2) fled to the nearby forest along with their Parent. But ultimately the supporters of Swamiji as were chasing after, could locate them inside the forest. And after mercilessly beating her father Monaj Naik for about 1 & 1/2 hours, they stabbed and cut him into pieces by the lethal weapons together and put Kerosin on his body and set fire on him in a brutal manner.
At this juncture when the situation in Kandhamal is still volatile and no eye witnesses to the major serious cases are not coming forward due tosevere threat to their lives, this small girl with her mother, could come and boldly gave her testimony in the Court in favour of his innocent father's murder case.

Tue, 16/03/2010 - 9:15pm Nine get jail, one acquitted in Kandhamal riots case

16th March2010

Bhubaneswar: Nine people were convicted and sentenced to four years in jail by a trial court on Tuesday for their role in the riots in Orissa's Kandhamal district in 2008. One man was acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Nine people were convicted and sentenced to a four-year jail term and fined Rs.5,500 each in a case of arson during Kandhamal riots. One man named Hrushi Pradhan has been acquitted in the absence of evidence,' P.K. Patra, the public prosecutor, informed.

52 acquitted in Kandhamal riot cases

The Fast Track Court-II Judge C.R. Das convicted the nine people of Salesaru village for torching the house of Balusan Digal and other villagers on Aug 25, 2008.

Thu, 11/03/2010 - 12:32pm Lawyers to help Kandhamal riot victims to move the supreme court of India

March 10, 2010
Forum of Lawyers for Kandhamal, Orissa violence,

A group of Religious lawyers today finalized plans to help to improve conviction rates in anti-Christian riot cases in the eastern state of Orissa.

The Forum of Religious Lawyers for Kandhamal (FRLK) will help victims appeal to the Supreme Court to reopen 11 murders cases handled by two fast track courts in Orissa, said forum head Monfort Brother Varghese Theckanath.

Flawed investigation and a lack of expert legal help were to blame for the high rate of acquittals, Brother Theckanath said.

Five representatives of the forum concluded a two-day meeting with Archbishop Raphael Cheenath of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar in Orissa state capital to finalize plans today.

The Religious lawyers formed the forum after they came together Feb. 25-28 in Hyderabad, capital of southern Andhra Pradesh state.

The Hyderabad meeting was initiated by Montfort Social Institute in that city and Pune-based Streevani, a Church-run center for women’s empowerment.

The 54 members who gathered for the initial meeting, all priests, brothers or nuns, have agreed to spend time in Kandhamal, the epicenter of violence, to provide legal help to victims, Brother Theckanath said.

The seven weeks of rioting and violence against Christians in 2008 resulted in 3,232 complaints by victims.

Police have filed 831 cases for investigation. The investigations of some 120 cases have been completed and sent for trial.

By February end the courts have closed some 60 cases, convicting a total of 89 persons and acquitting 251 people, the Religious lawyers said in a statement.

They plan to work with other groups to appeal to the Supreme Court to “stay all criminal proceedings” of riot cases and to re-open and re-investigate all cases.

“We propose appointing a leading criminal lawyer each” in the district, state and Supreme courts,” the brother said.
Global council of Indian Christians(GCIC) had earlier approached National Human Rights Commission and National Women’s Commission to ensure justice for victims