HC allows govt to file reply on plea for CBI probe into seer murder case

Cuttack: The Orissa high court has allowed the state govt to file a second counter affidavit to the petition seeking a CBI probe into the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.The 84-year-old Saraswati was killed by gunmen at his ashram in Kandhamal on August 23, 2008. Dhenkanal-based social activist and high court lawyer Debashish Hota filed the petition on December 18, 2023. Initially, on January 2, the court sought a response from the state govt to the petition seeking CBI probe into the “unsolved murder case to find out the real culprits in the interest of justice, equity and fair play”.Accordingly, the state govt filed a counter affidavit which said, “The Swami Laxmananda Saraswati murder case ended in conviction of accused persons by court of additional sessions judge, Phulbani, on September 30, 2013 and October 3, 2013.”“The accused persons have preferred appeals which are pending before the Orissa high court. In view of the above facts and circumstances the prayer for CBI probe may be dismissed with exemplary cost,” additional secretary of home department, Debendra Kumar Dash, said in the affidavit, while pointing out the petition was filed 15 years after the incident.When the matter was taken up for hearing on Thursday, the petitioner filed a rejoinder to the state govt’s counter affidavit. The single-judge bench of Justice V Narasingh posted the matter to April 15 for further consideration along with the state govt’s counter affidavit.

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