The Odisha government has initiated a judicial inquiry into the alleged sexual assault of an army captain’s 32-year-old fiancée at a Bhubaneswar police station, following widespread public outrage over the incident.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced that retired high court judge Chittaranjan Dash will lead the investigation and submit his findings within 60 days. Additionally, a high court judge will oversee the ongoing Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the case.
“The police officers involved have been suspended, and criminal cases have been lodged against them. Legal action has also been taken against the youths involved in the altercation preceding the alleged assault. The state government is committed to ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice,” Majhi stated.
Majhi emphasized that there would be no leniency for those found guilty. “The Odisha government is dedicated to the safety, security, and dignity of women, and we hold the Indian Army in high regard,” he added after a late-night meeting with senior ministers and officials.
Earlier on Sunday, Majhi’s deputies, KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, along with ministers Suresh Pujari and Prithiviraj Harichandan, met with the army captain, his fiancée, her father, and several ex-servicemen to discuss the incident.
The fiancée, a lawyer who owns a restaurant in Bhubaneswar, alleged that police personnel at Bharatpur police station physically assaulted, kicked, and dragged her, with one inspector accused of molestation and indecent exposure. She stated that they had gone to the station to file a complaint against a group of individuals involved in an altercation with them.
The army captain, in his First Information Report (FIR), accused the police of illegally detaining him and sexually assaulting his fiancée before placing her under arrest.
On Saturday, seven engineering students were apprehended for allegedly attacking the captain and his fiancée. They were granted bail within four hours of their arrest.
The alleged assault has sparked widespread condemnation, with former army chiefs VP Malik and VK Singh among those calling for swift action against those responsible.
