Top Maoist leader in Odisha sentenced to life term

Bhubaneswar, May 18 (IANS) Top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Odisha's Berhampur on Saturday for waging war against the Indian government.Additional District Judge-1, Berhampur sentenced Panda after convicting under Section 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India) of the Indian Penal Code while discharging him under section 124 (unlawful activities).The court delivered the judgement in a case registered under Bada Bazaar Police Station in Berhampur police district, said public prosecutor Gyanendra Jena.Deepak Pattnaik, counsel for Panda, said they will move a higher court against the judgement. He said out of 135 cases, Panda was acquitted in 52 cases so far.Panda was arrested from a house at Mangalavarampeta in Badabazar on July 17, 2014.The Maoist leader was allegedly involved in several cases including the murder of Viswa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati in Kandhamal district and abduction of two Italian tourists.
--IANS cd/vd