Crime Branch to act on FIR by Baba’s woman companion

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Aug 8:

The FIR filed by the woman who accompanied Srimad Sarathi Baba to Hyderabad was transferred to the Odisha Crime Branch police today.

“We verified the authenticity of the FIR filed at Mangalabag police station yesterday evening on her behalf. An IIC was sent to the women’s hostel to cross check with the medico. Upon confirmation, we recommended the case to be taken up by the Crime Branch since it is probing the case of Sarathi Baba,” said Dr R P Sharma Twin City Police Commissioner.

A woman with her face covered identifying herself as Santilata Das, claiming to be the aunt of the medico, went to the Managalabag police station yesterday evening to lodge an FIR on behalf the complainant in which she had claimed that her life was under threat and she needed police protection.

Following this, DCP Cuttack Sanjiv Aurora sent IIC Mahila police station Cuttack and IIC Mangalabag to the medico’s hostel to verify the authenticity of the FIR filed by the woman on her behalf. On being confirmed that it was her FIR, the police registered a case under sections 506 and 34 of IPC and 67(A) of the IT Act. The medico has named four persons in her FIR stating that she was being blackmailed and threatened with her life by them.

The Crime Branch today formed a five-member team with an IIC rank officer as its head to investigate the case. A woman police officer is also part of the team, Crime Branch sources said.

“We have increased security at the hostel where the medico is residing since she has claimed  a threat to her life,” said Sharma.