Odisha Panchayat Polls: Jailed tribal leader's papers rejected

Koraput: Nomination paper of jailed tribal leader and president of Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) Nachika Linga for the Narayanpatna Zilla Parishad seat in the upcoming panchayat elections in Odisha was rejected during scrutiny on Wednesday.

Nachika, who was lodged in Koraput Circle jail in October 2014, had filed the nomination paper through his counsel Gupta Prasad Panigrahi on Tuesday.

“Nachika’s nomination paper was rejected owing to lack of required documents. Though we tried to convince the Returning Officer, he did not pay any heed to our pleas. We will approach the High Court against the decision,” said Panigrahi.

Nachika, who was evading arrest for his alleged involvement in several criminal cases, including murders, arson and dacoity registered in Narayanpatna, Bandhugaon, Laxmipur and Semiliguda police stations in the district since November 2009, had surrendered before a team of police and a few elected panchayat members at his village Bhaliaput within Narayanpatna police station limits on October 28, 2014.

He has been acquitted in at least 37 cases and is facing trial in another 17 cases.

Nachika’s wife Tikai is a candidate for the sarpanch post in Podapadar panchayat of Narayanpatna block.