Phulbani: A police sub-inspector has been arrested in Kandhamal district for allegedly raping the wife of a home guard. The accused, identified as Smrutisagar Samal (45), a former sub-inspector of Gochhapada police station and currently posted at Kotagarh police station, was taken into custody on Thursday and produced before court.
According to police sources, the incident dates back to May 2024 when the woman lodged a complaint at Gochhapada police station, accusing Samal of sexually assaulting her. She alleged that the officer lured her with false promises and threatened her to force a physical relationship. The complaint claimed that Samal visited her shop on multiple occasions, made obscene gestures, and one night entered her home while she was alone, allegedly committing rape.
Initially, the complaint was allegedly suppressed, and Samal was transferred from Gochhapada to Kotagarh police station. However, the woman renewed her complaint recently, prompting Gochhapada police to register Case No. 186/25. Following his arrest, Samal was booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and presented before the Phulbani SDJM court, where his bail plea was rejected. He has since been sent to judicial custody.
Public prosecutor Pankaj Behera informed the court that Samal also threatened to kill the woman if she disclosed the incident to anyone.
Meanwhile, sources suggest a possible connection between the case and alleged ganja (cannabis) smuggling activities. In the past, Samal had reportedly accused the woman’s husband, a home guard, of involvement in ganja trade, which had led to tensions between the two. Former SP Shubhendu Patra had later transferred Samal to Kotagarh following these disputes.
Police are continuing their investigation into the case and possible related angles.
