Former Rajya Sabha MP N. Bhaskar Rao Sent to Jail After Surrender in Rayagada
Dr,Badal Tah,Odishabarta
Rayagada, November 9: In a significant legal development in the sensational 2010 abduction and murder case of tribal leader Bhagirathi Mandangi, former BJD Rajya Sabha MP N. Bhaskar Rao was remanded to judicial custody after surrendering before the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court in Rayagada.
The surrender followed a recent directive from the Supreme Court of India, which quashed the bail previously granted to Rao and other co-accused by the Orissa High Court.
Supreme Court Directive Leads to Remand
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva overturned the relief granted by the High Court, observing that it had erred in its bail directions. The apex court instructed Rao and his co-accused to surrender unconditionally before the Rayagada SDJM court within a two-week window, leaving any future bail remedies to standard statutory legal channels.
Complying with the apex court’s deadline, Rao appeared before the local court, where his bail plea was rejected, leading to his immediate transfer to judicial custody.
Background of the Case
Bhagirathi Mandangi, a prominent tribal leader and managing trustee of the Maa Majhighariani Temple Trust, went missing under suspicious circumstances near the shrine on December 15, 2010. Days later, his charred, partially burned body was recovered near the Thotapalli reservoir in neighboring Andhra Pradesh. The victim’s hands and feet had been bound, indicating premeditated kidnapping and murder.
Mandangi’s family and indigenous rights organizations, including the Adibasi Mahasangha, alleged that his killing was a targeted hit. They asserted that Mandangi had uncovered and opposed substantial financial and administrative irregularities within the temple trust. Charges in the case include murder, kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence.
Following widespread local protests and sustained agitation by tribal bodies, the state government transferred the investigation. Non-bailable warrants were eventually issued against six accused individuals, including Rao, leading to a prolonged legal battle between the High Court and the Supreme Court.
Tribal Bodies Hail Decision
Reacting to Rao’s remand, Basanta Ulaka, Convenor of the Adibasi Mahasangha, described the court’s action as a decisive step toward justice after years of advocacy.
“We are proud of the Adibasi Mahasangha and remain deeply grateful for the relentless fight to keep justice alive. We stand with the Sangha and always will. Those who sought to divide our collective voice now face accountability before the law.
This land cannot overlook the brutal murder of its son, Bhagirathi. This is a victory for righteousness, and today his soul will finally find peace,” Ulaka stated.
