Court Verdict / Nine Convicts Get Life Term in 2019 Rayagada Abduction Case

Rayagada, Nov 4: In a major judgment in the sensational 2019 Bibhuti Bhushan Pujari kidnapping and extortion case, the Additional District and Sessions Court in Rayagada has sentenced nine accused to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of kidnapping, attempted murder, unnatural sexual assault and illegal possession of firearms.

The court convicted notorious criminal Hadapa Shiva along with G. Bangaru, Sundhi Suraj, Sundhi Prakash, Majhi Raja, Majhi Joseph, G. Venu, G. Teja and G. Surendra.

Eight of the convicts were also fined Rs 20,000 each, while one was fined Rs 10,000. Failure to pay the fines will result in additional imprisonment ranging from three to six months.

Also read: Odisha Vigilance arrests land acquisition officer in Rs 3.10 lakh bribe trap

According to the prosecution, Bibhuti Bhushan Pujari was travelling by train from Visakhapatnam on November 18, 2019, when the accused allegedly claimed he was carrying cannabis and demanded Rs 10 lakh from him. They later abducted him from Rayagada East railway station and held him near the Nagavali river.

After Bibhuti’s father, Panchanan Pujari, lodged a complaint, police launched a search operation. During the raid, members of the gang allegedly opened fire at the police in an attempt to escape. In retaliatory firing, gang leader Hadapa Shiva sustained a gunshot injury to his leg.

Police registered a case under several sections of the IPC, including kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, unnatural offences, and provisions of the Arms Act. The case was supported by testimonies from more than 25 witnesses.

In a dramatic development following the verdict, convict Sundhi Prakash reportedly escaped from the court premises. Police have launched a search operation to trace him.

Additional District Judge Alpana Swain delivered the verdict, bringing closure to one of the district’s most talked-about criminal cases.