Orissa: Anti POSCO leader Abhay shaoo released on conditional bail

Report by Amarnath Parida; Jagatsinghpur: Anti POSCO leader cum president of Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti Mr Abhaya Shaoo who had been languishing in jail since ten months has finally released on conditional bail in Orissa High Court bringing joy and happiness among the affected people for Posco steel project on Thursday.

PPSS leader Mr Abhaya Shaoo who had been spearheading Posco movement in Dhinkia panchyat since three years and took key role to paralyze the installation of Posco steel project was arrested by Paradip police on 2 th October in 2008 while he was returning to Dhinkia village with his son after spending Dusherra festival in Hyderabad. His son Abhijeet Shaoo had sought the intervention of chairperson, State Human Right Commission for releasing his father because police had arrested him on false case.

Kujang police registered 36 cases against Mr Shaoo for his involvement in kidnapping, illegal possession of arms, bomb explosion, and dacoit case, setting fire in houses, assault and humiliation to women, violence, and other criminal activities in proposed Posco areas. Out of 36 cases, 11 cases were pending in Orissa High Court and 25 cases at Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kujang . Earlier, he had released from jail 10 cases from High Court and 25 cases from JMFC while one case was pending at Orissa High Court.

After Mr Shaoo’s arrest, Kujang police arrested secretary of PPSS cum anti Posco leader Mr Prakash Jena and other five anti Posco activists who were spearheading Posco movement in Dhinkia panchyat. Five other anti Posco activists have been released on jail after few months of jail custody while Mr Shaoo had been languishing in Chaudwar jail while Mr Jena was in Kujang sub- jail. Except Shaoo , all anti Posco leaders were released from jail recently .

Division Bench of Orissa High court comprising of one justice Mr Raghunath Biswal has granted his condition bail on Thursday and restricted Mr. Shaoo not to go Dhinkia village . One case relating 395 of Indian Penal Code was pending in Orissa High Court. Adovates Mr Jagnnath Pattnaik and Gatikrushna Sathpathy were contesting in court on behalf of Mr Shaoo. Adovacte Mr Sathpathy has expressed that Mr Shaoo has been granted bail from 36 cases so he has not released from jail because today’s bail papers has not yet received from the High Court. He has predicted that Mr Shaoo would release from jail within one to two days. Today’s release of Shaoo has brought happiness and joy among the anti Posco activists in Dhinkia and Gobindpur villages. Orissa Diary