HC allows anticipatory bail plea of top Maoist leader's wife

The Orissa High Court today allowed the anticipatory bail application of top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda's wife Subhashree, alias Mili Panda, and asked her to surrender before the trial court at Soroda in Ganjam district.

"On her surrender, she shall be released on bail by executing a bail bond of Rs 20,000 and two sureties of like amount," said an order passed by Justice J P Das.

The High Court also asked the lower court to grant her bail on condition that she shall appear before the investigating police officer whenever necessary and shall not indulge in similar activities in future.
 

Mili Panda, now an advocate by profession who had unsuccessfully contested the state assembly elections in April 2014, was booked by the Badagada police of Ganjam district in May 2013 under charges of treason, sedition and conspiring to wage war against government by collecting arms and also for possessing explosive substances and "harmful" publications.

Apprehending arrest after NBW was issued against her, Mili Panda approached the High Court in November last year seeking anticipatory bail.

She had mentioned in her petition that although the charge sheet in the case has already been filed, the investigating police officers have not been able to collect any convincing and clinching evidence against her.

Mili Panda in her petition further said that police registered the case against her in a mechanical manner after recovering some cash, old map of the police station, a torch light, gelatine sticks, three bundles of bidi, two packets of chewing tobacco, some ORS pouches and some Maoist literature and posters from two suspects on the morning of May 15, 2013 on the outskirts of village Rangamatia.
RWA leader Varavara Rao called Telugu television news

channels over phone and announced that RK was "safe" but did not give any details about his whereabouts or condition.

The late night announcement brought to an end the 10-day- old suspense and anxiety over RK's state as there were allegations from Maoists' frontal organisations and civil liberties groups that he might have been killed by the police in the October 24 encounter on the Andhra-Odisha border.

Subsequently, these organisations alleged that RK was being held captive by the police and expressed apprehension that he too might be bumped off in a false encounter.