Chandan Moharana, an innocent youth who was wrongly arrested by the city police a fortnight ago, was on Wednesday released from jail. A lower court here on Tuesday had ordered his release following an application made by the police stating that the arrest of Chandan was a case of “mistaken identity”,
Executing a six-year-old pending NBW, the Lalbag police of the city had arrested Chandan of Chandini Chowk on the night of March 11 as his name and address matched with that mentioned in an arrest warrant. Following public resentment, the police had agreed for an inquiry into it.
When it was established that Chandan was innocent and had no role in the criminal case of 2013, Twin City Commissioner of Police Satyajit Mohanty had regretted for the police action and expressed apology to his family members for the inconvenience and trauma caused to them. He had also assured that Chandan would be released from jail with his pride and prestige intact.
But after his release from the jail, Chandan has demanded stringent action against the erring policemen and adequate compensation for the mental agony he and his family members had to suffer. “I spent 16 days in jail for no fault of mine. My wife and children were also traumatised and even my reputation in the public has been imputed,” he said.