Collector kidnap: Maoist leader to be produced in Orissa court

Maoist leader Ganti Prasadam, whose release among others has been demanded by the Naxals to free abducted Malkangiri collector R V Krishna, was handed over to police for producing him before an Orissa court, officials said today.

Maoist leader Ganti Prasadam, whose release among others has been demanded by the Naxals to free abducted Malkangiri collector R V Krishna, was handed over to police for producing him before an Orissa court, officials said today.

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Prasadam, also the convener of Martyrs Friends and Relatives Committee, was lodged in the Ongole Prison in Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam district since February 7 and was handed over to local police last evening as Orissa Police had secured a Prisoners Transfer (PT) warrant against him from the Koraput Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Court, they said.

"Following the court directive (PT warrant), we handed over Prasadam to the local police for production before the Koraput court. Either the local police can produce Prasadam before the court or they can also hand over him to the Orissa Police who in turn can produce before the court," Ongole Prison Superintendent V Phaniraju told PTI over phone.

He will be produced before the Orissa court.

Maoists had also asked for the release of Ganti Prasadam and other Maoists leaders as a precondition to take part in negotiations with the government emissaries to free the IAS officer, who had abducted on February 16.

Prasadam, who was arrested in November last by Koraput Police was brought to Ongole in connection with the case of attempt on the life of then Prakasam SP M C Laddha in 2009.