SCW head tried to hush up case, alleges Champua MLA’s 'daughter-in-law'

Bhubaneswar: Kavita Mahakud, who has claimed to be the daughter-in-law of Champua MLA Sanatan Mahakud, has accused the chairperson of State Commission for Women (SCW) Lopamudra Buxipatra of trying to hush up the case when she approached her with a complaint of torture against her father-in-law.

“When I told her about my plight, the chairperson advised me to take some money for the maintenance of my daughter and withdraw the case. I had gone to meet her with the hope that she would give justice to me. If a woman like me is deprived of justice, who will get justice from the Commission?” she asked while talking to media persons here on Wednesday.

While Buxipatra herself was not available for a comment, SCW member Snehanjali Mohanty denied the charge levelled by Kavita against the Chairperson.

"Kavita Mahakud has filed a case before the Commission and the hearing of the case is underway. The Commission has fixed the date to summon the opposite party. The charges brought against the Champua MLA are absolutely false, concocted and baseless," she said.

Kavita, it may be noted, had filed a torture case against the legislator at Mahila Police Station here on Tuesday. Talking to OTV, she had said she approached the police after failing to get justice from the Commission.

Police Commissioner YB Khurania has said a case on the issue has been registered in the Mahila Police Station.

“Police is investigating the case as per rules.Investigation would be done according to the manner in which the case has been registered,” he said.

Complainant Kavita Mahakud, who claims to have married the eldest son of the Champua MLA Pankaj, had alleged that she had been physically and mentally tortured and also subjected to intimidation.

She had alleged that her father-in-law was forcibly keeping her husband away from her and had got him married a second time. She said she had a daughter from Pankaj with whom she had a love marriage.

She said she would commit suicide in front of Mahakud’s house if he continued to keep her husband away from her.

Reacting to the allegation, the Champua MLA had said he did not know who has filed the case as his daughter-in-law was in his house.