Bhubaneswar: The Justice Chitta Ranjan Das Commission, constituted to investigate allegations of police excesses against a serving army officer and his fiancée at Bharatpur police station, submitted its 282-page report to the Odisha government today.
The Commission handed over its report to the Home Department Secretary, marking the conclusion of a six-month-long probe into the high-profile incident that sparked nationwide outrage.
The Commission examined 525 affidavits and questioned at least five individuals during its investigation, which began on October 1, 2023. The case dates back to September 15, 2024, when the army officer and his fiancée were allegedly harassed and assaulted by a group of miscreants and later subjected to custodial torture by the Bharatpur police.
According to the complaint, the couple was returning home after closing the fiancée’s restaurant when their vehicle was intercepted by 12 persons traveling in three cars near Patharagadia in Bhubaneswar. The miscreants reportedly hurled abuses at the army officer, made lewd comments toward his fiancée, and physically assaulted him when he tried to resist. The situation escalated when the officer attempted to record the incident on his mobile phone, prompting the assailants to threaten the couple with dire consequences.
The couple managed to escape and rushed to the Bharatpur police station to file an FIR. However, instead of taking action against the accused, the police allegedly subjected the couple to further harassment. The fiancée was reportedly taken into custody, stripped, and sexually assaulted by police personnel. In an attempt to resist the torture, she bit the hand of a woman police officer.
Following the incident, the fiancée was arrested and produced in a local court, which rejected her bail plea and sent her to judicial custody. However, the Orissa High Court later granted her bail, and she was admitted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar for medical treatment.
The alleged custodial torture triggered widespread condemnation, leading to the suspension of five police officials, including the Inspector In-Charge (IIC) of Bharatpur police station. The state government also ordered a Crime Branch investigation into the matter.
The submission of the Justice CR Das Commission’s report is expected to shed light on the sequence of events and provide recommendations for action against those responsible. The findings could have significant implications for police accountability and the handling of such cases in the future.
