Bhubaneswar: Even as questions are being raised over the conspicuous silence of the Odisha Police over the involvement of some of its own personnel in the alleged gang rape of a minor girl in Bhubaneswar, Director General (DG) of Police Abhay on Monday categorically stated that the police action will be based on the evidence gathered against the accused.
While responding to questions over the possibility of arrest of three more accused in the case who are presently at large though the crime branch managed to arrest four on Monday, Abhay said “ The Crime Branch is investigating the case. Action will be taken against persons based on evidence during the course of investigation.”
It is worth mentioning here that earlier the police had claimed the involvement of seven persons in the crime. Even the DGP, in an affidavit at the Orissa High Court, had identified Subhash Chandra Mishra, a policeman from Sundargarh and two of his associates as accused in the case.
In the wee hours on Monday, the crime branch sleuths had rounded up four persons, including two employees of OTV and an equal number of security guards for their alleged involvement in the case.
It is pertinent to mention here that the victim girl’s mother, who is the complainant in the case, had earlier alleged the involvement of some staffers of a media house and a policemen and two of his associates in the case.
Even the Commissionerate which was initially probing the case before it was handed over to the Crime Branch had informed that the minor girl was gang-raped several times by eight persons including some policemen in March and April during lockdown period.
“A complaint was lodged at Mahila Police Station in Bhubaneswar on August 30, in which the survivor’s mother alleged that her minor daughter was gang-raped several times by eight persons including some policemen in March and April during lockdown period. Based on the complaint, a case was registered at the police station under various sections of IPC and POCSO Act,” the Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash had said.