The alleged demand of monetary gratification by police officers, with the warning that non-compliance with the bribe would lead to the slowdown of the investigation of a case pertaining to a minor girl’s kidnapping, has come under the scrutiny of the Orissa High Court.
Orissa High Court (Photo: IANS)
The alleged demand of monetary gratification by police officers, with the warning that non-compliance with the bribe would lead to the slowdown of the investigation of a case pertaining to a minor girl’s kidnapping, has come under the scrutiny of the Orissa High Court. A Division Bench of the court directed the Bhadrak Superintendent of Police and his subordinates to appear in person before it on 11 August.
The missing girl’s father had filed a habeas corpus petition before the High Court after his minor daughter was allegedly kidnapped on 18 June in the Dhamnagar police station area of Odisha’s Bhadrak district.
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A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Murahari Sri Raman, acting on a petition filed by the missing minor girl’s father, directed the SP, Bhadrak; the Inspector-In-Charge of Dhamnagar Police Station; and the Investigating Officer of Dhamnagar Police Station to remain personally present before the Court on the next date of hearing, 11 August.
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The counsel for the petitioner raised a serious concern about the functioning inside the police administration, more particularly, at the helm of certain unscrupulous police officers.
“The police officers approached the petitioner (missing girl’s father) and disclosed that they had traced the minor victim girl ,who is living at Sambalpur, but unless some gratification is given, they would slow down the pace of the investigation, which would result in the delayed rescue of the minor victim girl. If such an allegation is true, it raises doubts on the impartiality of such officers, putting a blot on the entire police administration,” the order stated, quoting the submission of petitioner’s counsel.
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