Activist Bhajaman Biswal, president of a Delhi-based NGO SHANTI, on Monday demanded dismissal of three Dhenkanal Police officials for registering fabricated cases against him for which he spent 70 days in jail.
Biswal demanded police officials’ dismissal after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directed the State Government to probe the case by the State Crime Branch.
According to Biswal, the Tumusingha Police of Dhenkanal district had recovered the body of one Gouranga Charan Prusti of Tangar village from a nearby canal on August 8 last year. The family of the deceased had alleged that Prusti was murdered, but the police kept mum after registering an UD case.
When Prusty’s relatives approached activist Biswal to help them, Biswal took up the case and demanded the police to act properly. The police called him from Delhi on September 3 last year to discuss the matter.
The police and Biswal reached the spot on September 13 last year and the body was recovered. The police started investigating the matter. Meanwhile, Kamakshyanagar SDPO Rajkishore Dora reached the spot with more police personnel. The villagere had strongly protested the police for their inaction.
Expecting a danger from the locals, the police left the place and requested Biswal to come to the Tumusingha Police station for further discussion on the issue.
Biswal reached the police station and held discussion in detail. He alleged that the police had offered him bribe of `2 lakh to bring the issue to an end. When he revolted, the police lodged three false cases against him and wrote to the local Bar Association not to take up the cases. Biswal was sent to the Kamakshyanagar Sub-Jail.
later, Biswal’s family members lodged a complaint with the NHRC to intervene in the matter. The commission on January 13 this year took cognisance of the petition and directed to transmit a copy of the complaint to the DGP calling for an action-taken report (ATR) within four weeks.
After getting the ATR, the NHRC on November 11 directed the State Government to probe the matter. Biswal along with human rights activist Akhand at a Press meet here on Monday demanded dismissal of former Tumusingha OIC lingaraj lenka, Sub-Inspector Madhusmita Behera and SDPO Dora for lodging the false cases.