CUTTACK: The boy who went missing from Utkal Balashram, a state-run child-care centre in Cuttack nine-months back, was produced before the Orissa High Court’s vacation court on Tuesday.
Taking on record assistant commissioner of police (Cuttack) Swastik Panda’s affidavit on the rescue of 18-year-old Bibhu, the vacation court directed the principal of SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCB MCH) to form a team of doctors to examine the physical and mental health condition of the boy and conduct his psychological assessment. “If any health-related issues are noticed during such check-up assessment, the same shall be immediately addressed,” the vacation court said, while directing for submission of the report to the registrar (judicial) by June 25.
The vacation bench of Justice SK Sahoo and Justice SK Mishra also directed the collector of Cuttack to submit by June 25 a report regarding the plan for rehabilitation, economic stability and future well-being of the boy so that he can lead a meaningful life in the society. Acting on a report submitted by the Orissa High Court’s juvenile justice committee, the high court had suo-motu registered a case regarding the missing of the boy from Utkal Balashram, Cuttack on May 7.
ACP (Cuttack) stated in the affidavit Bibhu was rescued from the new bus terminus in Cuttack on May 23. The boy had left the Balashram after staying there for only a day. The vacation bench further directed the registrar (judicial) to obtain information on what happened to him from August 12, 2023 when he left Utkal Balashram, Cuttack till he was rescued on May 23, 2024 during the course of recording the statement of the boy pertaining to his stay in Utkal Balashram.
“During this particular period, information on how he maintained his livelihood, with whom he was staying and whether there was any kind of threat to his life etc must be compiled along with the boy’s statement in a sealed cover,” the bench specified.