Bhubaneswar: Commissionerate Police had to apologize to the court here after it found out about the goof-up on the part of the cops about the age of a minor accused. The Mancheswar Police, without proper verification, had sent the minor to the special jail at Jharpada instead of the Observation Home in Berhampur.
Police arrested the accused on charges of his involvement in the murder of one Depak Kumar Behera at Rangamatia in September. However, the cops, without going through the birth certificate and Aadhaar card of the accused, sent him to special jai in Jharpada. The court, during trial, expressed suspicion over the actual age of the accused and asked the investigating officer to recheck his certificates.
Police found that the accused is not yet an adult as his real age is 17 years and four months. Police apologized for its mistake before the court and later sought the court’s permission to send him to Observation Home at Berhampur. Children found in conflict with law are kept at the Observation home during the trial period as per the Juvenile Justice Act.
The state government officials as well as the police were found violating various guidelines issued in Juvenile Justice Act in connection with child victims and the children in conflict with law.
