Fresh case against Congress leader for land grabbing

BERHAMPUR: A fresh police case was registered against Ramesh Jena and two of his associates, including a corporator in connection with alleged land grabbing, police said today.

"Berhampur police have registered a land grabbing case against Jena and his two associates, Congress corporator R Murali Mohan and builder Kiran Panda," said in-charge superintendent of police of Berhampur, Asish Singh.

The three were accused of having grabbed 4.1 acres at Nimakhandi, police said.

With this 16 cases have been registered against Jena, a former Congress MLA since his arrest from Bhubaneswar on March 6.

Police have so far arrested 25 associates of Jena and seized 11 revolvers from them.

Police had also registered a case against him in connection with the murder of Srinibash Rath, a former sarpanch of Malabhanja in Ganjam district, on March 9, 2012, after weapons used in the crime were recovered from his land at Gambhariguda village.

The case was handed over to the crime branch of police on November 27, 2012. It had sought five-day remand of Jena but was yesterday allowed to interrogate him for two days.