Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda's wife to fight for him in court

Berhampur: The lawyer wife of jailed Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda is all set to don the black robe to fight cases against her husband in court.

Subhashree Das aka Mili Panda obtained a law degree from Berhampur University this year.

Mili submitted documents (vakalatnama) before the court of additional district judge (II) yesterday. She will work as an associate to senior lawyer Deepak Patnaik, who is fighting Sabyasachi's cases. Sabyasachi is lodged in Berhampur Circle Jail here.

"She obtained a licence from the state bar council recently and is keen to represent her husband in the court," said Patnaik.

Mili alleged that police implicated Sabyasachi in false cases. "I am confident of getting him released from jail. I have full faith in the judiciary," she said.

On July 15, 2010, police had arrested Mili from Bhubaneswar and charged her under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

She was acquitted by the Orissa High Court in September 2011, but was rearrested for allegedly being part of a Maoist squad that launched an attack on police at Kutinguda in Rayagada district in 2003.

The case was tried in the fast-track court at Gunupur, which acquitted her of all charges on April 10, 2012.

Around 100 cases are pending against Sabyasachi and he was recently acquitted in two. Police arrested him from Bada Bazaar here on July 18, 2014.