HC grants advance bail to OCA secretary

Allowing the anticipatory bail application of Behera, Justice S C Parija ordered that in the event of arrest, he shall be released on bail by the arresting police officer immediately.

The cricket administrator is facing charges under sections 342 and 344 (wrongful confinement for more that ten days), 323 (causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC as a criminal case against him is registered in Bhubaneswar.

The case against Behera and some of his relatives were registered following allegations made by Behera`s married daughter Bharati last month.

Bharati had alleged that she was married off in June 2010 against her wish and was subjected to physical and mental torture by her father, brothers and in-law, including her husband.

In her complaint, Bharati had also alleged that she was confined to a room for over three months in Bhubaneswar, where she was subjected to physical torture.

She managed to escape on December 28 and lodged a police complaint and also went to the State Human Rights Commission detailing her plight.

No one has, however, been arrested so far in the case as all the accused named in the FIR, including the OCA secretary, went hiding.