Custodial assault: Odisha govt extends judicial panel's tenure till Jan 31, 2025

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Saturday extended the tenure of a judicial commission which has been probing into the alleged torture of an army officer and "sexual assault" of his fiancée in police custody.

The tenure of the panel headed by Justice (Retd) Chitta Ranjan Dash (retd) has been extended by another 60 days to January 31, 2025, a Home Department notification said.

The existing tenure of the commission was 60 days and scheduled to be completed on November 22.

The state government ordered a judicial probe into the alleged custodial torture in the wake of a nationwide outrage.

The commission was set up to inquire into the alleged torture of the army officer and "sexual assault" of his fiancée at the Bharatpur Police Station in Bhubaneswar.

The panel was also asked to look into the allegations of misbehaviour by the army officer and his fiancée with police personnel.

The Home Department mentioned that in exercise of powers conferred by Section-3 of the Orissa Commission of Inquiry Rules, 1979, the government extended the tenure of the Chitta Ranjan Dash Inquiry Commission.

The commission has so far received over 500 affidavits, summoned 16 people and recorded the statement of the army officer and his fiancée in the case.

The incident took place on September 15 at Bharatpur Police Station when the army officer and his fiancée went there to lodge a complaint of road rage.

Instead of taking the complaint, the police personnel allegedly assaulted the army officer and molested the woman.

In connection with the incident, the Odisha Police suspended five police personnel.