BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced on Friday that the State government is ready for an investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the kidnapping and murder of five-year-old girl in Nayagarh district following persistent demands by the Opposition in the Assembly.
Taking part in the Assembly proceedings through video conference, the Chief Minister announced that if SIT investigation is required, the State government will do it immediately. However, as the Chief Minister spoke, the BJP and Congress members continued to raise slogans demanding the resignation of Agriculture Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo for his alleged role in protecting the main accused.
“My government is always committed to free and fair investigation and we want justice to be done,” the Chief Minister said and requested all the members to cooperate and participate. “I am deeply saddened by the incident. My government will always stand for rule of law,” he said.But noisy scenes continued in the House even after the announcement by the Chief Minister. BJP members created a ruckus in the House demanding a CBI probe into the incident forcing Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro to first adjourn proceedings for 30 minutes, then for the entire day.
Earlier in the pre-lunch session, pandemonium prevailed in the House with the Opposition members unrelenting on the issue. Leader of the Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik said that the BJP is firm on its demand for the ouster of the minister and a CBI probe into the kidnapping and murder case. The minor girl was killed by a well organised organ trade racket, he alleged. Alleging that the government is protecting the minister by not announcing a High Court-monitored SIT, leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Narasingha Mishra said that a free and fair investigation cannot be ensured unless the minister resigned.
The government should take action against the guilty and the minister should also be asked to resign immediately, he said.Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati told mediapersons that a High Court-monitored probe will be impartial and fair as there is every chance of the government influencing a Crime Branch investigation as a Cabinet Minister has been dragged into the case. BJD vice-president Soumyaranjan Patnaik said that there was no point in stalling the House since a probe is on to find out who all are involved in the case.Meanwhile, two PILs have been filed in the Orissa High Court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged killing of the girl and compensation for the family of the deceased.