Cuttack: MLA and former Minister Pratap Jena today failed to appear in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in connection with Mahanga double murder case due to ‘illness’.
Jena moved a petition through his lawyer under section 205 of CrPC praying the court to exempt him from personal appearance. The court heard his plea and reserved the judgment.
Senior advocate Milan Kanungo moved the petition on behalf of Pratap Jena and sought two weeks’ time.
“The court had earlier summoned Jena to appear personally on October 31. Today, he moved a petition through his lawyer that he could not appear due to illness and sought two weeks time for the hearing. The Opposition lawyer also filed an objection,” Lawyer Siddharth Patnaik, who also appeared for Jena, said.
