Cuttack: The court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM), Cuttack has asked the court of SDJM, Kendrapada, to spare gangster Syed Usman Ali, alias Tito, for production before it in connection with a case registered at the Chauliaganj police station here.

The SDJM, Cuttack, issued the communication while allowing inclusion of Tito as an accused in a two-year-old case of extortion and tender-fixing in Cuttack.

Chauliaganj police had registered a case in March 2016 following recurring allegations of involvement of criminals in cornering of tenders invited by the Mahanadi Barrage Division, Mahanadi Drainage Division and Roads & Buildings Division here.

There were also allegations of extortion from bus owners who operated on the Cuttack-Paradip and Cuttack-Jagatsinghpur routes.

The police suspected Tito and his gang of being behind this. Eight accused persons, all belonging to Tito's gang, were arrested and charge-sheets had been later submitted against them in the case. Tito was reported absconding in the case.

On Tuesday, Chauliaganj police had filed an application for including him in the case.

"The SDJM, Cuttack, Sipikanta Pradhan, allowed registering of the case against gangster Syed Usman Ali, alias Tito, under sections 386, 387 and 120B of IPC for extortion by putting a person in fear of death and criminal conspiracy on Wednesday," assistant public prosecutor Biswajit Baral said.

"In response to the communication from SDJM, Cuttack, in the case, the SDJM, Kendrapada, is expected to inform the date of sparing Tito. Accordingly, the police escort would be provided to produce him before the SDJM, Cuttack," Baral said.

Once produced, the police plans to seek permission to take Tito on remand for investigation in connection with the Chauliaganj police station case.

Tito was arrested after being injured in an encounter with police in Jajpur.