Jena had appealed to the High Court against the verdict of the Salepur Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC). Upon hearing Jena’s petition, the High Court overturned the lower court’s decision and exonerated him in the high-profile double murder case.

According to reports, Jena was listed as accused number 13 in the case. His absence from the initial charge sheet led the Salepur JMFC to order a re-investigation. Subsequently, his name was included by the police. The court recognized the charges against Jena as an accused. Challenging the lower court’s recognition of the charges, Jena approached the High Court seeking to nullify the JMFC’s order.

“The entire criminal proceedings against Pratap Jena have been quashed,” stated Anshuman Ray, the advocate for Pratap Jena.

On January 2, 2021, BJP leader Kulamani Baral, aged 74, the block chairman of Mahanga, and his associate Dibyasingha Baral, aged 82, were savagely murdered by unidentified assailants near Jankoti village within the Mahanga block in Cuttack, as they were returning home on a motorcycle. Subsequently, the prime suspect in the case, Prafulla Biswal, was discovered dead under enigmatic circumstances. The bereaved family has accused that both Kulamani and Dibyasingha were assassinated at the behest of Pratap Jena.

BJD MLA Sarada Nayak Gets Orissa HC Notice in EVM Tampering Allegation

Justice Sashikant Mishra of the Orissa High Court’s single-judge bench served the notice, requiring Nayak to respond. The subsequent hearing is scheduled for November 19.

Radheshyam Yadav, a local voter, claimed that EVM tampering occurred during the vote count in the last General Elections at Nayak’s behest. Yadav has provided the court with CCTV footage and photographs to support his claim.