Dandapani demands political prisoner status again

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Threatens to launch strike from Apr 24 
Dandapani Mohanty
Bhubaneswar,
April 22: Maoist interlocutor Dandapani Mohanty has threatened to resort to
hunger strike at Brahmapur Circle Jail from April 24 if the Government fails to
ensure political prisoner status to him. 
Mohanty
(65), who was arrested in Brahmapur on February 8, 2013 on charges of being
involved in Maoist activities, has sent letters through the Brahmapur jail
authorities to Governor Dr SC Jamir, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly
Narasingha Mishra seeking treatment as a political prisoner.
Earlier
in 2013, Dandapani had also observed a hunger strike in jail demanding
political prisoner tag.
“I am
an under trial prisoner lodged in different jails since my arrest on February 8,
2013 and presently lodged at Brahmapur Circle Jail and since then languishing
in jail custody first in R Udayagiri jail, Parlakhemundi and presently at Brahmapur
Circle Jail. Though I was/am not involved in any criminal cases, but for
political reasons I was falsely implicated,” said Mohanty in his letter. 
He
stated, “I faced trial before different courts, Assistant Sessions Judge, CJM
and Parlakhemudi Sessions Judge at Parlakhemundi in 19 cases and was acquitted
with the finding either “mistake of facts” or no evidence.  Further cases slapped upon me. Even the High
Court has granted me recently bail in one of such case whereas bail
applications are pending in other cases. 
To say in all those cases I was implicated as a sympathiser or supporter
of CPI (Maoist), though I am involved in no violent or unlawful activities as
my past record would suggest.” 

Mohanty
said, “When I was arrested in 1971 and 1974, the then Governments had treated
me as ‘‘A’ class political prisoner. Hence, seeing my political activists of 45
years I request you to consider my case afresh to confer and treat me as a political
prisoner immediately.”

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