Expressing displeasure over the tenor of the language used by Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner Sudhansu Sarangi in interpreting an earlier order of the High Court on the controversial issue of the size of clay idols for the ensuing Durga Puja, a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq has termed the top cop’s conduct as “overreaching”.
The court also did not accept an unconditional apology tendered by commissioner in this matter but refrained from taking any action against him when Advocate General Ashik Parija sought some more time to file a fresh affidavit of commissioner in this regard. “Learned Advocate General has submitted before this court an affidavit dated 30.09.2020 filed by Commissioner of Police tendering apology, but in view of what is stated in paragraph-3 of the same cannot be termed unconditional,” said an order passed by Bench on Wednesday and posted matter to be taken up again on October 10.
Notably, while adjudicating a batch of writ petitions challenging idol-height restriction of four feet imposed by Government, court on September 16 had askedpolice administration to allow puja pandals of Cuttack city to go ahead with already constructed idols taller than stipulated height.
But commissioner on September 17 issued an order asking Puja Committees, which have already constructed idols, to change height of idols to four feet.