Baripada: Baripada Town police today recorded the statement of Debasis Mohapatra, Assistant Director Planning, Mayurbhanj under section 164 CrPC in connection with the FIR registered against Union Minister for Tribal Affairs and Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu for assaulting two government officers.
Mohapatra recorded his statement before the Court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Baripada under section 164 CrPC.
“Today we recorded the statement of Debasis Mohapatra who had suffered injuries. As part and parcel of the investigation procedure, we got Mohapatra’s statement recorded under section 164 CrPC before the JMFC,” informed Baripada Town Police Station IIC Birendra Senapati.
Senapati said that investigation in the matter is in progress.
He, however, refrained from disclosing the content of the statement as the matter is under investigation.
“Today I recorded my statement before the magistrate,” informed Mohapatra.
On being asked by reporters on the content of his statement, Mohapatra said that it was about whatever incident had happened on that day.
Further responding to queries from reporters, whether he has joined duty, Mohapatra said that he has been advised complete rest for six weeks by the doctors so he would join work after that.
He denied of any pressure on him from the Union Minister or any political party after the incident.
Tudu had allegedly beaten up Aswini Kumar Mallick, In-Charge Deputy Director Planning, Mayurbhanj, and his Assistant Director Debasis Mohapatra while they had visited his party office at Takatpur to discuss the MPLAD fund as desired by him.
Mallick has alleged in the FIR lodged by him at Baripada Town Police Station that on January 21 Tudu assaulted them with a plastic chair at his Takatpur office as a result of which Mohapatra sustained fracture injury on his left hand and he sustained an injury on his finger
Based on the complaint, Tudu has been charged under sections 323,325, 341, 294, and 506 of the IPC.
A couple of days back, police as part of its investigation had gathered evidence such as fingerprints and CCTV footage of the two officials’ entry and exit from Tudu’s office at Takatpur.
Earlier on Friday, Mallick had recorded his statement in the matter under section 164 CrPC before JMFC Baripada in the matter.
Tudu has filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Orissa High Court on Thursday last to stall his arrest in the matter.
