BHUBANESWAR: More than four years after the sensational Pipili gang-rape and murder case, the Justice PK Mohanty Commission submitted its report to the State Government here on Wednesday.
The 400-odd page report was handed over to Home Secretary Asit Tripathy. In course of the inquiry, the panel received more than 100 affidavits and recorded statements.
The State Government, which faced political heat over the incident, ordered a judicial inquiry by the retired High Court Judge on January 13, 2012. The Commission was asked to submit its report within three months but was granted extensions.
On November 29, 2011, the victim, a 19-year-old girl of Arjunagada village of Pipili, was gang-raped and strangulated in an open field. In a comatose state, she was first taken to Pipili hospital but was referred to Capital Hospital.
On January 7, 2012, the girl’s family knocked the doors of State Commission for Women which took her to Capital Hospital and later shifted her to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack where she was allegedly turned away as doctors found to be her to be in a terminal stage. She was again brought to the Capital Hospital.
The Odisha Human Rights Commission took cognisance of the matter and directed investigation following which Pipili police registered a case.
On January 10, the Orissa High Court treated a letter petition as PIL and directed proper treatment apart from monitoring the case. The 19-year-old girl lost her battle with life on June 21.
The Crime Branch, which investigated the case, arrested four persons including Prashant Pradhan, his brother and accomplice Sukanta Pradhan and associates Gurna Chandra Swain and Premananda Nayak.
It submitted chargesheets against them and also against the then IIC of Pipili police station Amulya Champatiray as well as doctors of SCBMCH and Capital Hospital for dereliction of duty.