By Sanjeev Kumar Patro
Bhubaneswar: The oft-boasted motto of Odisha Police “We serve and protect” stands shattered, when the Orissa High Court Chief Justice Chakradhari Charan Singh orally remarked,
“What is troubling us that it has happened in a police station which is in Bhubaneswar [the capital city] and you do not know what happened because you did not have the equipment in the police station. Such occurrences might have taken place [earlier] which might have gone unreported.”
Moreover, a look at the letter written to CJ Orissa HC by Lt Gen PS Shekhawat, AVSM, GOC of Mech Infantry Regiment raises many an eyebrow. The grave portends are the following
- Victim’s medical examination was done at Institute of Medical Science and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, which indicated reasonable injuries.
- A subsequent medical examination done in government owned Capital Hospital Bhubaneswar was manipulated and it showed no injury.
- Police produced the manipulated medical reports before the judicial magistrate, which is akin to forging evidence and misleading judiciary.
- A serving army officer cannot be arrested without any offence and without informing the Army authorities.
- Jail doctor diagnosed suspected fracture of jaws, but jail authorities didn’t heed to his advice
- Orissa HC intervention made possible for the victim to undergo medical examination and treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
The above actions of Odisha police in the instant case highlighted by Lt Gen Sekhawat to Orissa HC open the Pandora’s box of Odisha Police –
- they can manipulate medical report
- jail authorities connived to deny medical assistance.
The grave portends it made open is Odisha police give two hoots to the Supreme Court orders on arrests and guidelines of National Human Right Commission.
For which, Orissa HC Chief Justice has rightly rued that such incidences might have happened earlier and had gone unreported.
HC DRAWS DISTINCTION BETWEEN ARMY OFFICER AND IPS
During the hearing of the matter on September 23, the Chief Justice asserted that this unfortunate incident happened to an Army Officer but the same would never have happened to a senior IPS Officer. CJ rued that they come from the borders, they come from outside and this is the treatment they get…
The HC has written in its order, “As the incident also concerns the prestige and dignity of an army officer, who was on leave, the Court would like to know from the State Government as to what steps it intends to take to protect the dignity of the personnel of the Armed Forces, in such situations.”
ODISHA POLICE CCTV STORY – COUNT DOWN
As per the order copy of Orissa HC, Advocate General Pitambar Acharya had made the submission that out of 650 police stations in the State, 559 police stations are equipped with CCTV cameras and some of the newly constructed police stations do not have the facility.
As per data available with the Union Home Ministry, as on January 1, 2022, Odisha had 643 police stations, of which 584 PS had installed CCTVs.
The AG’s statement when seen in this backdrop reveals the following.
- Between 2022 and 2024, the number of police stations in the State has risen by 7
- But the count of CCTVs sported a steep decline of 25. The number dropped to 559 from 584.
- The above number tally indicates some CCTVs turning dysfunctional after the installation. And the Police (modernization) cell have not taken any remedial steps.
ORISSA HC SEEKS DETAILED REPORT ON CCTV
The HC has directed ADGP (Modernisation) Dayal Gangwar to submit a report on the next date of hearing (October 8) mentioning whether the existing CCTV facilities in various police stations are in fact functional or not. It had also directed the State police to disclose the storage capacity of the hard disk kept in the police station.
