Responding to the National Human Rights Commission's (NHRC) direction for detailed reports in a police harassment case to tribals in a murder case in Mayurbhanj, the DGP, HRPC, Odisha and Additional Secretary (Home) stated in their reports that the investigation was still on.
Acting on separate petitions filed by activist-lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy , the NHRC earlier asked the DGP, Chief Secretary and the Superintendent of Police, Mayurbhanj to submit reply within two weeks and subsequently issued conditional summons to all these three authorities for submission of reports.
The inquiry report by Deputy Superintendent of Police , HRPC, Odisha disclosed that on the written report of Dasarath Hembrum (Grama Rakhi) of Bellajhari in Moroda police station, Sub Inspector Rashmiranjan Das, the then Officer in Charge of Moroda, registered a case and took up investigation. The investigation was supervised by Anil Patra, former SDPO of Betanati. The Investigative Officer (IO) arrested accused husband Sukhdev and his brother-in-law Sudam Si for killing of his wife and throwing the body into a village well and forwarded them to the court only on the basis of oral evidence. The IO of the case submitted the charge sheet without any scientific basis. But a lady claiming her to be deceased lily Naik appeared before the court of SDJM, Baripada and declared her alive.
During inquiry, both Sukhdev and Sudam Si alleged custodial torture by the police. The inquiry officer recommended that disciplinary action is deemed proper to be initiated against the erring officials.
The report of the Special Secretary, Home Department, stated that the State CID/CB, has been entrusted with the investigation of Morada PS case and the investigations are under progress.
In his petitions Tripathy alleged before the NHRC that the arrest of the two innocent tribals without receiving complaint of murder and failing to trace lily with her baby is a serious lapse on the part of police. The court also takes unreasonable time for completing the proceeding in such a serious case.
Pursuant to the directions of the commission, a report from the SP, Mayurbhanj, clarified that the probe is still in progress and only two witnesses have been examined and two others are yet to be examined.