Gopalpur gangrape case: Accused Om Pradhan’s bail plea stalled

In a significant development in the Gopalpur gangrape case that had occurred in Ganjam district, accused Om’s bail application could not proceed on Friday due to a missing case file from the lower court. Odisha Crime Branch has excluded his name from the chargesheet, stirring speculation.

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According to sources, a major update has surfaced in the Gopalpur gangrape case. Accused Om Pradhan’s attempt to secure bail has hit a roadblock.
Although Om was planning to apply for bail based on his exclusion from the chargesheet filed by the Crime Branch, the bail plea could not be processed due to the case file not being forwarded from the lower court.

Sources confirm that Om has been dropped from the final chargesheet submitted by Crime Branch, prompting him to seek bail. However, the delay in paperwork has stalled the entire process. This administrative gap has prevented Om’s legal team from officially moving the bail plea.

Despite the setback, Om is currently under judicial custody. As of now, ten individuals have been arrested in connection with the gangrape case.
Om was previously identified by the survivor during a TI (Test Identification) parade and had allegedly transported two of the accused on a motorcycle, raising questions about his exact role in the crime.

The development has sparked debates over investigation gaps and the process of excluding names from chargesheets. Legal experts believe this could have significant implications for the ongoing trial.

Earlier, ten persons were arrested, who were accused in the gangrape case, of which four were minors and six others were adults. The Crime Branch had charge sheeted only nine of them, and the name of Om, who is an adult, did not appear in it.

“Police had arrested ten persons in connection with the Gopalpur gangrape case. Subsequently, the Crime Branch investigated the case and submitted the charge sheet. However, Om Pradhan has not been charge-sheeted in the case,” the accused’s counsel Pitabas Panda stated.

“The case will be presented before the sessions court on Monday. Relevant documents from the lower court are expected to reach the sessions court by that day. We will again try to file a bail petition and hope that it will be allowed,” counsel Panda expressed.