{
  "id": 1735619,
  "title": "Odisha court acquits Maoist leader Azad in 2008 Swami Laxmanananda murder case",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/odisha-court-acquits-maoist-leader-azad-in-2008-swami-laxmanananda",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T15:29:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times",
    "slug": "hindustan-times",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/odisha-court-acquits-maoist-leader-azad-in-2008-swami-laxmanananda-murder-case-101787066947453.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An Odisha court has cleared Maoist leader Duna Kesaba Rao, also known as “Azad,” of the 2008 murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. The court ruled that suspicion alone cannot substitute proof. Rao, 45, was acquitted of charges including murder, criminal conspiracy, rioting, house-trespass and theft. The court found serious gaps in the prosecution’s evidence and rejected the identification of Rao by a single witness. The trial court had sentenced eight others to life imprisonment for their role in the murder.",
  "summary": "Rao has been in judicial custody in a Bhubaneswar jail since his arrest by Odisha Police in 2010. HT has reviewed the judgement",
  "key_points": [
    "Maoist leader Azad acquitted of 2008 Swami Laxmanananda murder.",
    "Court ruled suspicion cannot substitute proof.",
    "Eight others sentenced to life imprisonment for their roles."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}