Cuttack: The Orissa High Court today issued notices to the State government and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) directing them to submit a reply to the petitions, seeking a CBI probe into the alleged gang rape and suicide of the minor girl in Kunduli, before May 3.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice BR Sarangi, while hearing the petition filed by victim's brother Bhagaban Chhatti and president of Utkal Bharat Kharabela Swain, issued the notices and asked both parties to submit a reply before May 3.
Bhagaban and Kharabela Swain had filed petitions with the Orissa High Court requesting a CBI probe into the incident.
Senior Advocate Pitambar Acharya said, "The state government and police have failed to provide justice to the Kunduli girl. The probe has completely deviated from what happened in reality. Senior police officials, in an attempt to prove all the allegations false and destroy the evidences in the case, have hatched a conspiracy. Therefore CBI, being considered the premier investigating agency of India, should be given the responsibilities to probe the sensitive case."
"The High Court has served notices to the Chief Secretary, Home Department, DG Police, Koraput SP and the director of CBI asking them to submit a reply in this regard before May 3. Meanwhile, the petitioners can also file review petition before May 2 if they want. The next hearing will be on May 3," Acharya added.