Orissa HC Grants Interim Protection to Arpita, Somesh in Humane Sagar Case

Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court on Monday granted interim protection to singer Arpita Choudhury and musician Somesh Satpathy in connection with the Markatnagar police station case related to the death of singer Humane Sagar.

After a preliminary hearing on the anticipatory bail applications filed by Somesh and Arpita, the High Court directed the police to place the case diary before it. The court also permitted the petitioners to implead Humane Sagar’s mother, Shefali Suna, as a party to the case and issued notice to her as respondent number two.

The court ordered that no coercive action be taken against the petitioners and directed that they should not be taken into custody in the Markatnagar police station case until the next date of hearing. It further instructed the petitioners to cooperate fully with the investigating agency during the course of the investigation.

The order was passed by a bench comprising Justice V. Narasimha after hearing the anticipatory bail pleas of Somesh Satpathy and Arpita Choudhury. The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 16.

It may be recalled that on December 21, based on a complaint lodged by Humane Sagar’s mother Shefali Suna, Markatnagar police registered a case against Somesh, Arpita, and nine others. Subsequently, Somesh and Arpita approached the Orissa High Court seeking anticipatory bail.