In Orissa, sitting BJP MLA Manoj Pradhan was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment on Thursday for six years by a fast track court at Phulbani for a murder during the 2008 communal riots in Kandhamal district. Fast track court-II judge C R Das convicted Pradhan for the murder of Bikram Nayak, a Christian from Budedipada of Tiangia village on August 26, 2008. He was convicted under section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of IPC. The judge also slapped a fine of 15,500 rupees on the convict, representing the communally sensitive G Udayagiri assembly constituency, for setting ablaze houses of people belonging to the minority community and inciting communal violence.Though Pradhan's name was initially not in the FIR filed at Raikia police station, his involvement in the killing came to light during investigation. At least 12 cases were registered against Pradhan for his alleged involvement in the riots in Kandhamal which claimed at least 38 lives in the aftermath of the killing of VHP leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati.Of the 12 cases, Pradhan has been convicted in two murder cases and acquitted in seven others relating to arson and rioting. Three more cases are pending against him. Pradhan was a close disciple of Saraswati, whose killing on August 23, 2008, had sparked off large-scale violence in Kandhamal and other parts of Orissa.