Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Nov 8: A day after the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) revealed that medical reports of the Kunduli gang rape survivor has failed to uphold her claim, the state government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.
“Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered a judicial probe into the incident by a sitting district judge,” said the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) Wednesday, adding, “The inquiry into the gang-rape case will be conducted as per the Commission of Inquiry Act 1952.”
CMO officials clarified that the crime branch probe into the case will also continue.
In a startling revelation, HRPC Additional Director General (ADG) Mahendra Pratap Tuesday had said that the complainant, a Class IX student, had not been assaulted sexually. He quoted the medical report to substantiate his claim which has also been submitted to DGP RP Sharma. Koraput SP Kanwar Bishal Singh also endorsed the report.
The CM’s direction seems to have come due to the severe criticism government faced after the reports of the HRPC and Koraput SP.
Many social activists and organisations who had earlier questioned the CB probe into the incident, expressed doubts about HRPC’s claim and the medical report, and sought a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
A few days back, the SC cell of the BJD had also expressed doubts about the crime branch probe into the case, and had demanded an impartial inquiry into the matter.
The 14-year-old minor girl was allegedly gang-raped in a forest near Sorisapadar village in Koraput district October 10 while returning from Kunduli. The incident occurred when the girl was on her way back home from school. She was allegedly intercepted by four men in combat fatigues and was taken to a nearby forest and raped.
The Crime Branch is probing the case and has classified it under the ‘Red Flag’ category.
Meanwhile, Congress Chief Whip Taraprasad Bahinipati branded the judicial probe into the case as a ‘drama’ and said the state government was trying to shield the culprits.