Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged sexual and physical assault of an Army officer and his fiancée at Bhubaneswar's Bharatpur Police Station.
The incident happened when they had gone to lodge a complaint against miscreants who had waylaid them when they were returning home in Bhubaneswar on September 14.
An post on X (formerly Twitter) by Odisha Chief Minister's Office's handle said, "The said inquiry will be conducted by Judge Justice Chittaranjan Das. The Honourable Commission has been requested to submit its report within 60 days", the post said.
The court has also been requested to speed up the criminal investigation into the matter under its direct supervision.
"It is worth noting that the Chief Minister has laid maximum emphasis on the rule of law. Along with this, the state government also has respect for the Indian Army. The state government is fully concerned about the dignity, safety and rights of women," the post added.
The order for a judicial inquiry was issued after the Chief Minister discussed the matter with his deputies KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, Law Minister Pritihiviraj Harichandan and senior officers.
Meanwhile, the police officers concerned have been suspended, and a case has also been registered against them for allegedly assaulting the Amry officer and his fiancée. Also, action has been taken against the youth accused of misbehaving with the duo as they were arrested and produced in court.
On September 14, the couple, who were returning home after an outing, were suddenly chased by a group of unidentified goons. Fearing for their safety, they rushed towards the nearest police station.
At around 1 am on September 15, the couple reached the police station to file a complaint. However, in a horrific turn of events, the couple alleged that they were brutally assaulted by the police officers. The woman alleged that she was stripped, sexually assaulted and physically tortured.
She said her legs were tied with a scarf and her hands were bound by her own jacket. She was then allegedly dragged through the corridors by her hair before being molested and flashed by a police inspector.
In a desperate attempt to defend herself, the woman allegedly bit one of the officers. She was subsequently arrested by police officers. Meanwhile, the Army officer was thrown into a lockup, making him helpless and unable to intervene.
After a huge outrage over the incident on social media and other public platforms, an FIR was officially lodged against the five police officers on September 20 after the Army officer filed a formal complaint.
