Maoist who abducted BJD leader awarded 10-year-jail

Rayagada (Odisha): Maoist leader Gembali Chinna Rao alias Santu was awarded 10-year-jail on Thursday after being found guilty in the case of abduction of former MLA and present BJD Lok Sabha member Jhinna Hikaka in 2012.

While pronouncing the judgement, Rayagada district and sessions judge Biswajit Dash also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on the rebel leader. The court pronounced the sentence on basis of seven eye-witnesses and other evidences. The court also sentenced the active Maoist cadre to seven years in jail and Rs 20,000 fine on charges of keeping explosive items and his involvement in a host of other unlawful activities.

The quantum of punishment will run concurrently, the court said. Santu was arrested from Phulakana forest in 2013. The Maoist and his aides had on March 24, 2012 abducted the BJD lawmaker when he was returning from Koraput district headquarters to his house at Laxmipur. He was kept hostage by the rebels for 34 days.

After protracted negations with the rebels by the state government, Mr Hikaka was released on April 26, 2012.

The Rayagada police had seized arms, ammunition, explosive materials and materials from Santu’s possession. Apart from these, cash worth of Rs 64,630, computer memory cards, batteries and a fake voter identity card were also recovered from him.

Santu was the most wanted Maoist by both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh police for his involvement in unlawful activities including murder and several other acts of Maoist menace.

The 35-year-old active Maoist cadre was charge-sheeted by National Investigation Agency (NIA) under section 121 / 121(A)/ 122 / 147/ 148 /149/326/ 307/ 302/124 (A)/ 324/ 395 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), section 25 and 27 of Arms Act, Section 3, 4 & 5 of Explosive Substances Act and sec 17 of Criminal Law Amendment Act.