Laxmikanta @ Laxmidhar Pradhani Vs State of Odisha — Murder and Culpable Homicide | Orissa HC (2026)

Laxmikanta @ Laxmidhar Pradhani Vs State of Odisha — Murder and Culpable Homicide | Orissa HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Release on bail upon furnishing bail bonds of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand) with one solvent surety for the like amount, subject to the condition of attending the trial Court on each date of posting; failure without sufficient cause may attract proceedings under S.269 of BNS, 2023.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, charged under S.302 IPC for murder and detained in custody since 13.11.2021 (more than four years), should be admitted to bail. +1 more

Court's answer

Considering the nature and gravity of the offences alleged vis-à-vis the accusations, the materials on record, the evidence of PW.2 and PW.5, and the petitioner's pre-trial detention since 13.11.2021, the Court admitted the petitioner to bail without expressing any view on merit.

Ratio / Principle

The bail application stands allowed; the petitioner is to be released on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand) with one solvent surety for the like amount, to the satisfaction of the Court in seisin, on such further terms and conditions as that Court deems fit and proper.

Key takeaways

Condition imposed: the petitioner shall attend the trial Court on each date of posting unless attendance is dispensed with; if he fails without sufficient cause to appear in accordance with the bail terms, the learned trial Court may proceed against him for offence under S.269 of BNS, 2023 in accordance with law.ratio¶17

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Orissa at Cuttack (Justice G. Satapathy), oral order dated 27.04.2026 on BLAPL No.609 of 2026: bail granted under S.483 BNSS to Laxmikanta @ Laxmidhar Pradhani, in pre-trial custody since 13.11.2021 (over four years), for alleged murder (S.302 IPC) of Kanhu Charan Pradhani in Baipariguda PS Case No.187 of 2021 / CT Case No.20 of 2022 pending before the Addl. Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge, Jeypore. Bail was admitted 'without expressing any view on merit', after weighing the nature and gravity of the offence, the record and the evidence of PW.2 and PW.5. Release ordered on a bail bond of Rs.50,000/- with one solvent surety for the like amount; the petitioner must attend the trial Court on each posting date, failing which (without sufficient cause) the trial Court may proceed against him under S.269 of BNS, 2023.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK BLAPL No.609 of 2026

Laxmikanta @ Laxmidhar … Petitioner Pradhani

Mr. M. Padhy, Advocate

-versus-

State of Orissa

… Opposite Party

Mr. M.R. Patra, Addl. PP

Order No.

CORAM: JUSTICE G. SATAPATHY ORDER(ORAL)27.04.2026

03. 1. This matter is taken up through Hybrid Arrangement (Virtual/Physical Mode).

This is a bail application U/S.483 of BNSS by the petitioner for grant of bail in connection with Baipariguda PS Case No.187 of 2021 corresponding to CT Case No.20 of 2022 pending in the file of learned Addl. Sessions Judgecum-Special Judge, Jeypore for commission of offences punishable U/Ss.302 of IPC, on the main allegation of committing murder of the deceased Kanhu Charan Pradhani by stabbing his left side of chest.

Heard, Mr. Manoranjan Padhi, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr. M.R. Patra, learned Addl. PP in the matter and perused the record together with the copy of depositions of PWs.1-8.

At the outset by referring to the evidence of witnesses, Mr. Padhi, submits that at best it would be a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, but it is not a case of murder and the petitioner having detained in custody for more than four years in the custody, he may be admitted to bail. In the backdrop of the aforesaid submission and taking

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into consideration the nature and gravity of the offences as alleged against the petitioner vis-à-vis the accusation sought to be brought against him and regard being had to the materials placed on record together with the evidence of the PW.2 & 5 and keeping in view the pre-trial detention of the petitioner in custody since 13.11.2021, this Court without expressing any view on merit admits the petitioner to bail.

Hence, the bail application of the petitioner stands allowed and the petitioner is allowed to go on bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand) only with one solvent surety for the like amount to the satisfaction of the learned Court in seisin of the case on such terms and conditions as deem fit and proper by it with following condition:-

(i) the petitioner in the course of trial shall attend the trial Court on each date of posting without fail unless his attendance is dispensed with . In case the Petitioner fails without sufficient cause to appear in the Court in accordance with the terms of the bail, the learned trial Court may proceed against the Petitioner for offence U/S.269 of BNS, 2023 in accordance with law .

6. Accordingly, the BLAPL stands disposed of.

Issue urgent certified copy of the order as per Rules. A soft copy of this order be immediately communicated to the concerned Court, who shall afterwards communicate the same to the concerned Jail through e-mail for reference.

Signature Not Verified (G. Satapathy) Digitally Signed Judge

Digitally Signed Signed by: JAYAKRUSHNA DASH Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa, C Jayakrushna utta ck Date: 29-Apr-2026 12:48:13

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