Odisha BJP leader fails to appear before police in BJD

Senior Odisha BJP leader Golak Mohapatra Thursday failed to appear before the police in Ganjam district for questioning in connection with the murder of a BJD youth leader, citing ill health,police said.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Chhatrapur Ramesh Chandra Sethi said he will be called again for questioning in the case.

Police had earlier interrogated Mohapatra, spokesperson of BJP's Odisha unit, about one-and-a-half years ago in the case relating to the murder of Laxmidutta Pradhan, BJDs youth leader on September 17, 2017, police said.

The BJP leader, who was summoned to appear before police on Thursday, sought more time from police through his legal representative, they said addding another senior state BJP leader Bhrugu Baxipatra has also been summoned to depose before police on February 9.

As many as 19 persons, including BJPs Ganjam district unit secretary Krushna Chandra Nayak and Laxmipur panchayat samiti member N Duryodhan Reddy, have been arrested in the case, police said.

Reddy and Nayak, stated to be the mastermind in the murder, had been arrested by police from Derhadun in Uttarakhand on October 28, 2017.

As part of the investigation, the two BJP leaders will be questioned on their alleged role in harbouring the accused in the murder case, said the SDPO.