Gang Rape Of Minor Girl: HC Summons Odisha DGP, Seeks Probe Status Report

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Monday asked Director General of Police (DGP) Abhay to appear personally during the next hearing and submit an affidavit on the status of the investigation into the gang rape of a minor girl in Bhubaneswar.

Talking to the media, counsel of Bharatiya Vikash Parishad Gopal Prasad Jena saidi that the court expressed displeasure over the progress made in the investigation and directed the DGP to submit a fresh status report.

The court has posted the next hearing in the case for November 18.

The Bharatiya Vikash Parishad in a PIL filed in the High Court on September 16 had stated that as the people of Odisha had lost faith in the police due to the latter’s failure in similar cases in Kunduli, Pipili, Puri, Rayagada, and Jagasinghpur, the court should order a CBI probe into the incident and direct the state government to pay Rs 30 lakh as compensation to the survivor.

The Union Home Secretary and the state chief secretary, Home secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), twin city police commissioner, deputy commissioner and the state secretary of the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) have been made respondents in the PIL.

Mahila police in Bhubaneswar initially investigated the case before the case was handed over to the Crime Branch on October 6, 2020.