Dharmendra Pradhan Demands CBI Probe Into Nayagarh Minor Girl Murder Case

Bhubaneswar: Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged murder of a five-year-old girl in Odisha's Nayagarh district.

Pradhan said the truth will come out if the state government hands over the case to the central agency.

"On the basis of the demand by the parents of the minor girl, the case should be handed over to the CBI for a fair probe," Pradhan said in Dhenkanal, where he addressed a farmers' rally.

He also said that there are allegations of the involvement of an organ racket in the case.

Like the Uttar Pradesh government, which handed over the Hatharas case to the CBI, the state government should also recommend a probe by the central agency, Pradhan said.

The minor girl's parents had attempted self-immolation in front of the state Assembly during the winter session on November 24.

They have been demanding a CBI probe into the death of their daughter. The parents accused state Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo of shielding Babuli Nayak, who, they alleged, had kidnapped and murdered their daughter as part of a kidney racket.

Notably, the minor went missing while playing near her house on July 13. Her skeletal remains stacked in a gunny bag were found in the backside of her house on July 23.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the state government has arrested one Saroj Sethy as the prime accused in the case.

The accused had tried to rape the minor girl after strangulating her to death inside his house, SIT chief Arun Bothra had informed mediapersons.

(IANS)