Maoist leader's advocate ordered not to hear interrogation

The District and Sessions court here today ordered that a family member or an authorised advocate of Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda should not hear the conversation between Panda and the police during interrogation.
The order was given by District and Sessions Judge M S Dhal after hearing a petition of the police which objected to the presence of any outsider, including Panda's family members or advocate, during the interrogation.
The Judge ordered that a person (advocate or any authorised person) should sit in such a way as to be outside the hearing distance of the interrogation and also not allow the accused to consult with the person during the interrogation, public prosecutor Jameswar Mishra said.

The Judge passed the order on a revision petition, challenging the Berhampur sub divisional judicial magistrate's order allowing the presence of a family member or counsel during interrogation of the Maoist leader.
The revision application was filed by the public prosecutor against the lower court's order. The hearing on the petition was held yesterday and the judge pronounced the order today.
"We respect the court order and will act accordingly," said Deepak Patnaik, the arrested Maoist leader's advocate.

The Maoist leader is in police custody since July 19 and the SDJM had granted a ten-day police custody for his interrogation.

Meanwhile, the police continued to interrogate him at the SP's (Berhampur) office here since they took him on remand but were tight-lipped about the details of the interrogation.
"Interrogation is going on and Panda is co-operating," said a senior police officer.
Sabyasachi Panda was arrested from a house on Mangalaverampeta Street under Bada Bazar police station limits here on July 17.