The JFMC Court of Soro on Tuesday directed the investigating officer of the State Crime Branch police to produce the case diary in the case pertaining to the alleged sexual exploitation of a woman police inspector by a fellow male police inspector.
Earlier on June 10, the Crime Branch had moved the JMFC Court seeking declaration of Jagatsinghpur DCRB Inspector Ajit Kumar Swain as an ‘absconder’ and issue of a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him.
Swain is wanted by the Crime Branch for his alleged sexual exploitation of a fellow lady police inspector over the last 13 years. On May 28, the woman officer had moved the Odisha High Court seeking a CBI probe into her complaint against Swain and immediate legal action against him.
The lady police officer had named the Principal Secretary Home, DG of Police, DG (Crime Branch), DG CBI, IIC, Crime Branch and Swain as respondents in her petition.
She had alleged that she had been sexually exploited over the last 13 years by Swain, who also subjected her to both mental and physical torture. She had also alleged that the higher authorities in the department had taken no action even after she drew their attention to her plight.
She had complained before the court that despite an FIR filed by her against Swain, the authorities were protecting the officer, forcing her to move the High Court to seek redressal.
She also said she had reported the matter to the DGP on May 6, following which the latter directed the Crime Branch (CB) to investigate the case. She had complained that the CB had not arrested the accused officer, who is now posted in Jagatsinghpur.
The lady officer had said in her petition that she had joined the police service in 2000 and was posted as a sub-inspector in Keonjhar district in June 2001. In August 2001, Swain laid a trap and raped her after inviting her to his official quarters. Swain had allegedly videotaped the entire act through a hidden camera planted in the room.
later, after mediation and compromise efforts by a senior police officer, Swain had promised to marry her, she had said. But Swain never kept his promise and married someone else. Instead, he blackmailed her by showing her a CD of the rape act and continued to exploit her sexually, she had alleged.
She in her petition had said Swain continued to exploit her even after her marriage in 2004. This led to discord in her marital life and ultimately resulted in the untimely death of her husband under mental agony. Even now, she was being subjected to harassment by Swain, she had further alleged.
After the matter came to light, civil society activists had demanded immediate arrest of the accused officer pending an inquiry and also action on the errant police officials who had failed to give the ‘victim’ protection and justice.