Of the eight convicts, Pulari Rama Rao alias Uday, a Maoist leader from Andhra Pradesh, had been held guilty by the court on October 1 for the murder of Saraswati and four of his disciples, during Janmastami festival on August 23, 2008, at an ashram in Kandhamal district.

The court had acquitted Somanath Dandasena for want of evidence the same day.

On September 30, the court had convicted seven persons - Gadanath Chalanseth, Bijaya Kumar Shyamseth, Buddha Nayak, Sanatan Badamajhi, Duryadhan Sunamajhi, Bhaskar Sunamajhi and Munda Badamajhi.