Ex-CJ of Sikkim HC to head panel for probe in MLA's killing

Retired Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court Satish Kumar Agnihotri will head the judicial panel constituted to probe the killing of a BJP MLA by Naxals early this month, officials said on Friday.

Agnihotri has given his consent to the Chhattisgarh government for heading the judicial panel to investigate the killing of MLA Bhima Mandavi and four security personnel in the Naxal attack in Dantewada, a Public Relation Officer of the state government said here.

Mandavi, who represented Dantewada assembly constituency, was killed along with four security personnel on April 9 after Maoists blew up their vehicle with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Shyamgiri area of Dantewada.

The next day, the Congress government in the state sought permission from the Election Commission for setting up a judicial inquiry panel into the incident, in view of the model code of conduct in effect for the Lok Sabha election, the official said.

After getting approval from the EC, the state government took further action into the matter, he added.

The BJP had dubbed as a "political conspiracy" the attack, which had occurred just two days ahead of the voting in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency in the first phase on April 11. The party had also sought a CBI probe into it.