Itishree murder: CB submits chargesheet
Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Kashipur/Rayagada, FEb 27:
The state Crime Branch police bubmitted the charge sheet in the Itishree Pradhan murder case in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JFMC) at Kashipur on Tuesday.
The charge sheet, submitted by Crime Branch DSP Alok Das, names school inspector (SI) Netrananda Dandasena as an accused in the murder of the lady teacher of Tikiri Upper Primary school in Rayagada district. He has been charged under section 449, 486 120(b) and 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The 818-page charge-sheet has 41 pages relating to Dandsena in the case. It names 74 witnesses in this case.
Submitting the chargesheet, Crime Branch, however, prayed to the court that it would submit a supplementary charge sheet later since the prime accused in the case is yet to be arrested.
It may be mentioned that the deceased had lodged an FIR against Dandasena with the Tikiri police station on July 18 last year alleging sexual torture against her. But the police had not taken any action.
However, after her death, the state government had ordered a Crime Branch probe into the incident.
The state government had later dismissed IIC of Tikiri Police Station Sujit Kumar Sai, Assistant Sub-Inspector Muralidhar Pradhan, District Inspector of Schools Dharanidhar Behera and Netrananda Dandasena, the main accused in the case.
The two police officials were accused of not acting on the complaint of Itishree against Dandasena.
It may be mentioned that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday had directed the Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) to submit the final report within eight weeks.
The directive of the Commission came after the Crime Branch, in its report to the Commission had stated that it is yet to prepare a final report in the case since the investigation is still underway.
Itishree was doused with kerosene and set afire on the night of October 27 last year. She was rushed first to the Rayagada district hospital and then to the Seven Hills hospital in Vishakhapatnam with severe burn injuries, but succumbed to her injuries after six days.
I do not think in Itishree case, the complainant will get justice because the people who are actually responsible are roaming free, we have to wait for the verdict of Honourable Supreme Court on this issue as one PIL was filed by a Law Student of Bangalure named Sudipta Lenka praying for CBI inquiry and the hearing is on 04.3.2014. It may surprise every body in Odisha that Advocate Subramanium (who was a member of Verma Commission on Nirvaya case) is the advocate for Odisha government.