Bhagirathi Mandangi murder case: Former Rajya Sabha MP N. Bhaskar Rao surrenders before Rayagada Court, sent to jail

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Rayagada: In a significant development in the sensational murder case of tribal leader Bhagirathi Mandangi, former Rajya Sabha MP N. Bhaskar Rao surrendered before the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court in Rayagada on Monday, complying with a Supreme Court directive.

Following his surrender, court sent him to judicial custody after rejecting his bail plea. His surrender comes after the Supreme Court cancelled the bail earlier granted to Rao and other accused persons in the case and directed them to surrender within two weeks.

On October 26, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva set aside part of the Odisha High Court’s January 22 order and the subsequent bail order passed by the Rayagada SDJM Court on January 30.

It is to be noted here that Rao and other accused had sought anticipatory bail from the Odisha High Court. However, the court rejected the anticipatory bail but directed that they be granted regular bail on specified conditions after surrendering before the trial court.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court found this approach legally unsustainable. It held that after rejecting anticipatory bail, the High Court could not predetermine the outcome of regular bail applications before the subordinate court.

Regular bail applications must be decided independently by the competent court, considering the facts, allegations and applicable legal provisions. Accordingly, the apex court set aside the earlier bail orders and directed the accused to surrender within two weeks.

The court clarified that the accused can file fresh applications for regular bail, which must be decided on their merits

The case dates back to December 15, 2010, when Bhagirathi Mandangi, a prominent tribal leader and trustee of the Maa Majhighariani Temple in Rayagada, went missing. His partially burnt body was later recovered near the Thotapalli reservoir in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

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Reports indicated that Mandangi’s hands and legs had been tied, raising suspicions of a planned murder. His family and tribal organisations alleged that he was killed after raising questions about alleged irregularities in the temple’s management.

Mandangi’s mysterious death triggered widespread protests in Rayagada, with tribal organisations demanding a thorough investigation and punishment of those responsible.

The investigation was subsequently handed over to the Odisha Crime Branch.

Mandangi’s younger brother, Jagannath Mandangi, has been pursuing a prolonged legal battle seeking justice in the case.

On November 12, 2024, the Rayagada SDJM Court issued non-bailable arrest warrants against six persons, including N. Bhaskar Rao.

The case involves allegations of murder, kidnapping, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence.

The subsequent legal proceedings over anticipatory and regular bail eventually reached the Supreme Court, resulting in the October 26 order.

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