Bhubaneswar: The State Government has extended the tenure of the Judicial Commission headed by retired High Court Judge Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash formed to inquire into the alleged assault of a woman and an army officer inside Bharatpur PS here.
The Home Department (Special Section) issued a notification to this effect yesterday.
The inquiry is in progress and the Commission’s tenure was stipulated to expire on November 22, 2024. Now, the Government has extended the tenure till January 31, 2025.
“In exercise of powers conferred by Section-3 of the Orissa Commission of Inquiry Rules, 1952, read with Section-3 and Sub-Section (1) of the Section 5 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, the State Government do hereby make the amendment in the notification,” read the fresh notification issued by the Department.
The army officer and his fiancee who were allegedly tortured in custody inside Bharatpur police station appeared before a judicial commission on November 14 and recorded their statements.
The next date of hearing was fixed on November 30. The Commission may also visit the Bharatpur police station on November 27. The Commission has so far received over 500 affidavits on this incident.
The army officer was allegedly tortured and his fiancee sexually assaulted at Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar after they visited it to lodge a complaint over a road rage incident involving the students on September 15.
The State government has appointed the Commission to enquire into allegations levelled by the army officer and his fiancee.
While the army officer was allegedly beaten up by the police officials, three police women dragged his fiancee into a cell where some male police personnel, including the ex-IIC of the police station, reportedly thrashed and molested her.
Following a widespread uproar over the incident, Odisha Police have suspended five police personnel. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has entrusted the investigation of the matter to the Crime Branch of the Police.