Bhubaneswar: Alleging that a 70-year-old advocate was harassed by a woman IAS officer and police personnel in Balasore district, All Odisha Lawyers Association has demanded action against them.
In a statement, president of the Association Bibhu Prasad Tripathy has condemned alleged police action and “inhumane behaviour” of the IAS officer and sought immediate action.
Claiming that inhuman treatment was meted out to senior lawyer Purusottam Das, the Association demanded immediate action against the officer and the Inspector In-Charge of Sahadevkhunta Police station in Balasore. The IIC should immediately placed under suspension for the incident, it said.
Terming the incident as unfortunate, the Association said it will also write to the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) to seek immediate action by the government in the matter.
As per a complaint lodged by Das with the police on June 11, he had been to the Balasore circuit house along with another man in the evening of June 6 to meet an MLA. As the legislator was not in his room, the two sent to the first floor of the building searching for him and found the door of a room semi-open. As he looked inside and immediately turned back after seeing a woman sitting on a sofa.
When he was going back, the woman rushed out, hurled verbal abuse and even dragged him, the lawyer alleged, adding that the woman also threatened him with dire consequences.
Das further claimed that around 3 pm on June 9, five to six police personnel forcibly lifted him from his house and detained him at Sahadevkhunta Police Station till 11.10 pm. He claimed that he spent the entire day without food and medicine though he is diabetic and has high blood pressure. Around 9 pm, the woman IAS officer suddenly reached the police station and assaulted and threatened him in the presence of police personnel, the lawyer alleged.
On June 10, a group of police personnel took him from his house forcibly and forwarded him to court in a case foisted against him falsely, he alleged.
“I have been subjected to cruelty, torture, brutal assault uncivilised and inhuman behaviour by the lady IAS officer and the associate police officers for which they are liable to be punished,” he said.
Earlier, on June 7, the woman IAS probationer had lodged a police complaint stating that two persons, who were intoxicated, entered her room in the evening on June 6 without ringing a bell. When she tried to send them away, one of them started arguing and misbehaved with her, she alleged, adding that the man even used abusive language and threatened her invoking the name of the local MLA.
Claiming that the two used obscene remarks and passed lewd comments at her besides threatening the circuit house staff, the woman officer sought legal action against the duo.
