Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Crime Branch on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against 11 persons in connection with the alleged mob lynching of Government Railway Police (GRP) constable Soumya Ranjan Swain in Balianta on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, while keeping the investigation open to gather additional evidence and trace other suspects.
The 767-page chargesheet was submitted before the Court of the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM), Bhubaneswar, by Investigating Officer Ratnaprava Satapathy, Deputy Superintendent of Police, CID-Crime Branch.
The accused named in the chargesheet are Judhistira Jena, Ranjit Patra, Ranjit Rana, Panchanan Badajena, Binod Kumar Behera, Pradeep Chandra Mangaraj, Ashok Kumar Jena, Bibhuti Bhusan Parida, Subash Bhoi, Skylab Pati and Bismay Mohanty.
They have been booked under Sections 103(1), 191(2), 191(3), 189(4), 190 and 127(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to the Crime Branch, the prosecution case is supported by oral, documentary, scientific and other corroborative evidence collected during the course of the investigation.
The 11 accused are among the 20 persons arrested in the case and produced before the court during the investigation.
The agency said it also examined the claims and alibis of the remaining nine arrested persons—Santosh Pati alias Mantu, Suraj Ojha, Sangram Bhoi, Pramod Jena, Bunty Jena, Surajit Rana, Abhisek Kar, Sadananda Khuntia and Bikram Keshari Das. After evaluating the available material, investigators found no sufficient incriminating evidence at this stage to establish their active involvement in the assault. Consequently, the Crime Branch said there was presently no prima facie case to prosecute them.
However, the agency has kept the investigation open under Section 193(9) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to facilitate the collection of additional evidence, obtain pending forensic reports and pursue other investigative leads. It added that efforts are continuing to identify and apprehend the remaining suspects, and supplementary chargesheets will be filed if fresh evidence emerges.
The case stems from the death of GRP constable Soumya Ranjan Swain, who allegedly died after being assaulted by a mob in the Bhingarpur-Kaja area under Balianta police limits on May 7.
According to the police, Swain and his associate, Om Prakash Rout, were travelling on a motorcycle when it collided with a scooter carrying two women. Investigators alleged that Swain assaulted the women and attempted to rape one of them, triggering an attack by an enraged crowd. Swain later succumbed to his injuries.
The post-mortem examination recorded 21 external injuries on Swain’s body. It attributed the cause of death to severe head trauma that resulted in blood clotting and swelling in the brain. Blood clots were also detected in his lungs.
Police have registered two separate cases arising out of the incident—one relating to the alleged murder of the constable and another concerning the alleged attempt to rape a woman.
Investigations into both cases are continuing.
