CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to submit a status report on Mamita Meher murder case by December 3, the next date of hearing on a petition seeking fast-tracking of the ongoing investigation into the case.
The single judge bench of Justice Biswajit Mohanty sought the status report after a preliminary hearing on the petition filed by Mamita's father Suchandra Meher and brother Bunty Meher. Appearing on behalf of the petitioners, advocate Pradipta Mohanty sought the Court's direction to the police to complete the investigation within a stipulated time. Mohanty also sought direction to the administration to ensure that the fundamental right to privacy of the petitioners and their family is protected.
However, the petitioners did not express dissatisfaction over the State Police's investigation into the matter. Mamita, a 26-year-old teacher of Sunshine English Medium School at Mahaling in Kalahandi district, was allegedly murdered by the school’s managing committee president Gobinda Sahu.
The accused had confessed that after killing her, he carried the body in his car and disposed it of in a pit at Mahaling Stadium on October 8 night. He set the victim's body on fire using cardboard and tyres, and got the pit covered the next morning.
According to the petition, TV media vans have been camping outside the house of the petitioners under Tureikela police limits in Balangir district and hounding them for bytes. "This has violated the petitioners’ fundamental right to privacy and the deceased’s right to dignity in death. Despite several requests to the local administration to direct the media persons to desist from invading into the privacy of family of the deceased, no cooperation has been received in any manner," the petition has alleged.