SC Refers Kunduli Case To HC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday referred the writ petition demanding CBI probe into Kunduli rape case to the Orissa High Court for hearing.

The apex court, while hearing the petition, asked the petitioner to place the same arguments since four similar petitions have been filed in the High Court.

The writ petition was filed by the brother of the minor girl who was allegedly gang raped inside a forest at Kunduli in October last year and subsequently committed suicide at her village in Musaguda on January 22 this year.

“The brother of the victim had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court demanding a CBI probe into the case. However, the honorable court gave us the liberty to place this writ petition with the same arguments before the Orissa High Court where four similar writ petitions have been filed. We will act on the directive of the apex court and place the same arguments before the Orissa High Court. But we will file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the apex court if the state government opposes our demand,” Sarthak Nayak, counsel of the petitioner told media persons in New Delhi.

It may be recalled that the brother of the victim, Bhagaban Chhatri, had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on February 7 demanding a CBI probe into the Kunduli case stating that he has no faith on the Odisha Police. Besides, he had also prayed the apex court to direct the state government to initiate stern action against the police and other government officials for trying to tamper with the statements of the victim she had given to the police after the gang rape.