Army Major-fiancee assault case: Inquiry report by month end, says commission

The detailed probe into the alleged sexual assault involving an Army Major and his female companion at Bharatpur Police Station in Bhubaneswar has reached its conclusion. A commission led by Justice C.R Dash has conducted the inquiry, the Commission’s secretary Subhendu Mohanty said in a presser on Wednesday.

According to official sources, the inquiry commission will submit its final report to the government based on the gathered evidence by the 28th of this month.

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“Interrogating 35 witnesses within a comparatively short span of time is not possible. As the State government has insisted on submitting an inquiry report by the end of this month, the Commission decided to do so, based on the available evidence. Hence, the inquiry was concluded today,” the secretary said.

“Lie-detection reports of five police officials concerned were sought from CBI, which have not been submitted by the anti-crime agency with the Commission yet. The CBI may likely submit the reports before the month ends,” the secretary added.

The allegations of ‘ill-treatment’ have drawn significant attention, highlighting issues of conduct within legal enforcement agencies. The report's findings are eagerly anticipated, as they are expected to address these concerns and recommend any necessary actions.
Police are yet to disclose the details of the evidence reviewed by the commission.

Public interest in the case has been considerable, reflecting broader societal concerns about accountability and transparency in law enforcement across Odisha. The conclusion of this inquiry may set a significant precedence for future cases involving similar allegations.

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Worth mentioning, the alleged incident took place on September 15, 2024, when the army officer and his fiancee had gone to Bharatpur Police Station to lodge a complaint on road rage in which they were allegedly harassed by some local youths.

The State government had previously placed five police personnel under suspension and ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.