Bhubaneswar: The Crime Branch of Odisha Police has initiated a probe into serious allegations that a senior IPS officer illegally engaged deceased GRP constable Soumyaranjan Swain for domestic household work.
In an official letter, Inspector General of Police (IGP), CID-CB, has requested Additional Director General of Police (Railway & Coastal Security), Arun Bothra, to conduct a detailed investigation into the matter. The letter dated May 26 had sought a probe report by May 30, 2026. Copy of the letter was made available to media on Sunday.
The development came after one Bhajaman Biswal moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) alleging that senior ADG-ranked IPS officer Dayal Gangwar engaged GRP constable Soumyaranjan Swain, who was beaten to death by a mob on May 7 in Balianta area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, for his domestic household work beyond official engagements.
Meanwhile, Gangwar was questioned by the NHRC team which visited Odisha in connection with the lynching case, in which GRP constable Soumya was killed.
It may be noted that the state government has transferred Gangwar, who was serving as the ADG (Communications) and posted him as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Home Department. It was alleged that Gangwar, during his tenure as the Railway ADG, engaged several GRP constables, including Soumya for domestic household work. Though he was transferred as the ADG (Railway), he did not allow Soumya and others to return to their original place of posting.
The senior IPS officer was drawn into the controversy after Swain’s parents alleged that their son had been subjected to mental torture by Gangwar and forced to perform personal work unrelated to official duties. They alleged that Swain was made to look after Gangwar’s gymnasium centre and suffered severe mental stress.
The family claims that Soumya was the victim of a well-planned conspiracy. The NHRC took cognisance of the matter and launched an inquiry.
During the five-day long investigation last week, the two-member probe panel of the Commission met several people, including Soumya’s parents, relatives, girlfriend and the ambulance driver and the two girls who had levelled allegations of sexual assault against the 32-year-old constable.
According to the allegations, deceased Soumya and his friend Om Prakash were riding a motorcycle when it collided with a scooty carrying the girls near Ramchandrapur under Balianta police station on May 7. An argument allegedly followed. It was alleged that Soumya misbehaved and attempted to sexually assault them. When they raised an alarm, locals rushed to the spot and attacked the two and Soumya got killed in the process.
