BHUBANESWAR: Minister of State for Law Arun Sahu on Thursday announced that the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) will probe into the alleged attack on a city-based lawyer by police.
The Minister said the State Government will bear all the expenses of treatment of the injured lawyer. Investigation has been handed over to the HRPC for an impartial and fair investigation by a third agency, he said.
Nihar Ranjan Sethi, a member of Bhubaneswar Bar Association, was allegedly beaten up by policemen late on Friday night while he was on his way to home near Ravi Talkies square. Protesting the alleged police brutality, members of Bhubaneswar Bar had staged protest on Monday.
Meanwhile, demanding an independent judicial probe into the case, lawyers’ body announced that they will continue to cease work till the guilty are arrested and punished. Judicial work in the District Sessions Court, Khurda has come to a standstill for the last four days due to the lawyers’ agitation.
The lawyers expressed displeasure over the way in which police were conducting the investigation.
Bar Association secretary Jayant Mishra said the CCTV footages from July 18, released by police, were a deliberate attempt to malign Sethi.