Bhubaneswar: Amid attacks by the Opposition regarding the lack of government action on the alleged physical assault on a Raj Bhavan employee by former Governor Raghubar Das's son in Puri in July last year, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said no written police complaint has been filed by the victim official. 

Responding to a query by BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deb in the Assembly today regarding filing of complaint by assistant section officer (ASO) Baikuntha Pradhan, who was allegedly assaulted while on duty on the eve of President Droupadi Murmu's visit to Puri during the Rath Yatra, along with an online complaint and what action has been taken by the police, the CM replied that no such written complaint has been filed with the police. "No such written complaint has been received at the Sea Beach Police Station of Puri district from an ASO regarding any physical assault and torture on 10.07.2024. One online complaint vide No. 24502038072400067 dtd 12.07.2024 filed by Shri Baikuntha Pradhan of Quarter No. 14/02, unit-9, Bhubaneswar has been received on CCTNS which is under inquiry," Majhi replied. 

On July 7, 2024, ASO Pradhan, who had been working at the Governor's House in Bhubaneswar for last three years, had alleged that he was assaulted by former Governor Raghubar Das's son Lalit Kumar at Raj Bhavan in Puri while he was on duty during visit of President Droupadi Murmu for the Rath Yatra. 

Pradhan, who was the in-charge of Puri Raj Bhavan since July 5 to supervise preparedness for the visit of President Murmu, had alleged that he was abused with objectionable language, humiliated, threatened and beaten up by the former Governor's son. His wife had later claimed that he was assaulted by Kumar along with six others as the latter wanted a luxury vehicle to pick him up from the station but could not avail the facility as all vehicles were on duty due to the President's visit. 

In his complaint to the secretary to the governor, Pradhan alleged that Kumar attacked him on July 7 night while he was on duty. “On 7th July night at around 11.45 P.M while I was sitting in the office room, personal cook of Odisha Governor Aakash Singh came to my office and told me that Lalit Kumar wanted to meet him at Suite No-4. When I went there, Lalit Kumar started slapping me and used abusive language. Feeling helpless, I started running out of the room and hid behind the Annexe building. However, the two PSOs (personal security officers) of Lalit Kumar found me and dragged me to Room No. 4 through the lift. Security Personnel and others present there have witnessed this incident. They again started slapping, blowing punches on my face, kicking every part of my body and twisted my left ankle,” Pradhan had said in his complaint. 

Following the incident, Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik had lambasted the Mohan Charan Majhi government for not taking action against the former Governor’s son who had abused his privilege and beaten up a government employee at the Raj Bhavan. The Congress and BJD had also demanded arrest of the accused in this matter.

As per media reports https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/odisha-raj-bhavan-employee-alleges-assault-by-governor-raghubar-dass-son-complaint-lodged/articleshow/111710956.cms?from=mdr, a complaint had been filed with Puri Sea Beach Police.