Cuttack: The Orissa High Court Tuesday declined to order an SIT probe into the self-immolation death of a college student following alleged sexual harassment by a teacher in Balasore.
A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Harish Tandon, also issued notices to the Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress, saying the agitation and bandh by the parties to protest the incident affected normal life.
The second-year Integrated BEd student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore set herself ablaze July 12, shortly after coming out of the principal’s chamber, alleging inaction over her complaint against the professor of her department. The 20-year-old student, who suffered 95 per cent burns, died at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar late July 14 night, it was learnt.
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An advocate filed a PIL praying for the constitution of a high court-monitored special investigation team (SIT) to probe the incident. Currently, the Crime Branch of Odisha Police is probing the case.
During the hearing, the bench, also comprising Justice Manas Ranjan Pathak, expressed satisfaction with the investigation being carried out by the Crime Branch.
Earlier, Advocate General (AG) Pitambar Acharya submitted a status report before the bench, stating that the ongoing probe is being led by a senior IPS officer of the rank of inspector general, and assured the court that the state government is making every effort to ensure justice to the victim.
He said that the teacher concerned and the then-principal of the college were arrested.
The bench took exception to attempts by political parties and organisations to politicise the incident, giving bandh calls, road blockades, and picketing before government offices and hospitals, which have disrupted public life in violation of binding directions issued by the Supreme Court.
The AG told the court that some of the political parties are politicising the issue and resorting to strikes undemocratically, violence, staging demonstrations inside hospitals like AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, paralysing the public transport system, which affected work at public offices.
The petitioner’s advocate also informed the bench that he failed to reach court July 17. The court took suo motu cognisance of the mode of protest and issued notices to the BJD and the Congress, directing them to file responses in connection with the PIL within three weeks.
The bench observed that such bandh calls constitute a blatant violation of the Supreme Court’s rulings, which prohibit obstruction of normal life under the guise of protest.
The matter has been posted for further hearing after the replies are filed.
PNN
