Army Officer, Fiancee Assault Case: Orissa HC Directs Media Not To Reveal Names Of Victims

The Orissa High Court has decided not to monitor the ongoing Crime Branch inquiry into the Bharatpur Police Station assault case. The court further stated that the power and duty of an investigating agency to investigate a cognizable offence is statutory and unless there are exceptional circumstances that the court should not interfere.

Cuttack (Odisha):Taking suo motu cognisance of the last week’s custodial assaults on two persons inside the Bharatpur police station of Bhubaneswar, the Orissa High Court here on Monday, expressing shock and concern over the incident, has restrained both the mainstream media and social media from publishing the names and identifications of the victims of the incident.

A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Chakradhari Saran Singh appreciating the steps taken by the State government so far in the case, however, came down heavily on the administration for not installing CCTV camera surveillance facilities in all the 650 police stations across the state. The High Court directed a senior police officer of the state to submit a report on this by October 8.

Stating that the Bhubaneswar police station incident was very “disturbing”, the High Court also directed the State government to apprise it (the HC) with details as to what measures are going be taken at the police station level in future, so that the dignity and identification of the complainants arriving at the police stations are protected.

“We have intentionally not disclosed the names of the persons, who had visited the police station on September 15 night to lodge a complaint, but came out injured and implicated in an attempt to murder case," the court said. "We consider it necessary for the facts and circumstance to restrain all concerned from publishing the identity of the two persons." the court added.

Meanwhile, Advocate General Pitambar Acharys told the court that the state government has appointed a Judicial Commission of Inquiry under Justice CR Dash, a former judge of the High Court. He also informed that the State government was swift in its action, by suspending five police officers involved in the incident and arresting the seven road Romeos, who had allegedly harassed the complainant duo on the night of September 15.