BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has directed Home department’s special secretary to probe allegations against the Biju Patnaik Open Air Ashram superintendent of harassing the inmates and the jailer. The jailer of the open-air jail in Jamujhari, Ashok Kumar Behera, alleged that the superintendent is engaging in illegalities and irregularities by not providing proper food and other articles to the inmates as directed by the state government.
In his petition, Behera claimed that jail superintendent started harassing and manufactured complaints against him after he raised the issues of the inmates. The petitioner also alleged that the Directorate of Prisons had earlier initiated an inquiry into the irregularities but it was not fair and transparent.
“The petitioner was harassed for whistle-blowing about the irregularities inside the open-air jail,” said rights activist Biswapriya Kanungo. OHRC chairperson Satrughana Pujahari has directed Home department’s special secretary to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within a month.
The commission has also directed the Home department to ensure that the petitioner is not harassed by the superintendent or any other jail authority over the complaint made by him. OHRC has registered a case in this connection and its hearing is on May 11.