Insight Bureau: Odisha Law and Panchayati Raj Minister Pratap Jena landed in fresh trouble as the Salepur JMFC directed the Mahanga Police Station IIC to conduct a probe into his role in the double murder case and submit a report.
The police had dropped Pratap Jena’s name from the chargesheet even as he was named by the deceased’s family in the FIR. Attempts were made to protect him, but the court stepped in to prevent the dilution of the case.
It can be recalled that Kulamani Baral, 75, BJP in-charge of Salepur mandal and his 80-year-old associate Dibyasingh Baral were hacked to death near Jankoti village on the evening of January 2, 2021.
A month later, body of Prafulla Biswal, the prime accused in the case, was found near Nua Bandal Chhak in Tangi area of Cuttack under mysterious circumstances. The police termed his death a case of accident although there were allegations that Pratap Jena was behind it.
With the reopening of the case and investigation against Pratap Jena, the BJP has upped the ante and sought his immediate removal from Naveen Cabinet and threatened to launch an agitation if it does not happen.
