BHUBANESWAR : The Crime Branch of Odisha Police has submitted a report to DGP YB Khurania seeking disciplinary action against former IIC of Koraput Town police station Kshireswar Sahu for negligence in investigating an alleged custodial death case. Sahu is presently posted as a DSP in Kalahandi district.
The case was initially registered by Jeypore town police station on January 30, 2017, and later taken over by the CB which registered a fresh case on November 12, 2021.
In the report, CB DG Vinaytosh Mishra said Sahu had conducted the inquest of the deceased, identified as Akash Mahuria. Jeypore Town police station had registered a case stating Mahuria had died in a road accident. However, his mother had alleged that he was tortured and murdered in police custody. The deceased’s postmortem report too reflected multiple injuries, inconsistent with those sustained in a road accident.
“Sahu failed to verify these materials or alter the course of his investigation. His action in closing the case by mentioning it as a simple accident, without examining the possibility of custodial violence, demonstrates serious dereliction of duty, suppression of material facts and an investigation that was erroneous, casual and perfunctory,” Mishra contended.
In view of the gravity of omission of facts and the sensitivity of the allegations, appropriate disciplinary action may be considered against Kshireswar Sahu for professional misconduct and violation of investigative norms, it added.
Earlier in September, three police personnel including the ACP in-charge of Choudwar police station in Cuttack, were suspended following death of a man under suspicious circumstances after alleged custodial torture. The suspension orders came after direction of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
The Home department recently suspended deputy SP (in-charge) of Phulbani Sadar police station in Kandhamal, Satish Chandra Naik, over dereliction of duty. During the suspension period, Naik will report at the office of southern range IG in Berhampur. Sources said Phulbani Sadar police had recently seized ganja. It was established that Naik had reportedly walked off with some quantity of the seized contraband.