Cuttack: Orissa high court has refused to grant bail to Dhirendranath Baral, a 65% permanently disabled “history-sheeter”, in connection with a recent hotel bombing case in Puri.While rejecting Baral’s bail plea, Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra noted the petitioner was allegedly involved in extortion of “Dadabati” money from hotel owners and was accused of masterminding the Feb 10 bomb attack on Hotel Swapna Inn after the owner reportedly refused to pay Rs 10 lakh.One of Baral’s lower limbs is amputated and he uses an artificial limb.“The petitioner is a history-sheeter against whom there are 38 cases already registered. Taking into consideration the gravity and seriousness of the allegation as well as the criminal background of the present petitioner, this court is not inclined to release the petitioner on bail at this juncture,” Justice Mohapatra said in the May 21 order, the web copy of which was released online on May 24.But the judge directed the trial court to expedite proceedings and attempt to conclude the trial within six months. While additional govt advocate represented the state, advocate Deepali Mohapatra argued on the petitioner’s behalf.
