Nayagarh: Rather than going to a correctional facility, Bulu Biswal of Bhutadihi village under Itamati Police limits of Nayagarh district has spent 14 years in jail. During a visit to the Ranpur sub-jail, the Juvenile Justice Board has found such a brazen blunder and is planning to move the Orissa High Court.
Accourding to sources, while Bulu’s age was 17 years and 4 months, police in connection with a murder case cited his age as 22 years. The case dates back to 2003 when one Madan Behera was murdered and Nayagarh police arrested 6 persons on August 10, 2003. Bulu was shown as a major and forwarded to court where he was convicted and since been lodged in jail.
However, based on the school certificate, the Nayagarh Juvenile Justice Board has been preparing to move the High Court for justice.
“We have collected the age-proof from the school where Bulu was studying and will soon move the High Court in this regard,” said member of Nayagarh Juvenile Justice Board, Swadesh Mishra.
“He was just a kid when police came and took him while he was sleeping,” said Bulu’s mother, Pravati Biswal.
“It first needs to be proved because the person who should have been taken to a juvenile court was taken to a general court instead,” former Police DG Bipin Bihari Mishra.
“If the police without proper investigation of the age of the accused has forwarded him to court or superficially cited his age, departmental inquiry against the concerned police officer should be carried out,” senior lawyer Dharanidhar Nayak said.