BJD MLA surrenders before court in murder case, gets bail

Ruling BJD MLA Muktikant Mandal today surrendered before the district court here in connection with a murder case of 2002 and was granted bail.
Additional district judge A K Chandan granted bail to Mandal on a surety of Rs 25,000 after he surrendered following an order of the Orissa High Court on October 20.
The high court had rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the legislator from Dhamnagar in Bhadrak district and directed him to move his regular bail application in the lower court.
The lower court was also instructed to consider his bail application in parity with other accused in the murder case of Niranjan Jena, who was lynched on November 3, 2002 allegedly by around 20-25 followers of Mandal.

Although the FIR had named Mandal and others as accused, the MLA's name was dropped in the charge sheet. The session's court, however, after examining two relatives of the deceased, issued summons to the MLA asking him to appear before it on October 21. Mandal then moved the high court seeking anticipatory bail.