Bhubaneswar: Seven accused arrested by Chandaka Police in Bhubaneswar in connection with the alleged assault on an Indian Army officer’s fiancée on Chandaka Road were granted bail just hours after their arrest, a source said Saturday.
A JMFC court granted bail to the accused only four hours after their arrest, the source added.
It can be mentioned here that Chandaka Police arrested seven youths on charges of assaulting an Indian Army Major and his fiancée on the night of September 15. Based on CCTV footage, Chandaka police detained the seven youths Friday, some of whom are reportedly engineering students, in connection with the assault on Army Major Guruvansh Singh of the Sikh Regiment and his fiancée while they were returning home, the source informed.
Chandaka police have seized 11 mobile phones and a vehicle from the arrested youths. The police also recovered video and audio clips as evidence, the source added.
In his FIR, the Army official stated that more than ten youths intercepted them near Pathargadia in the capital city late on the night of September 15. They hurled abusive language and made lewd comments toward his fiancée. He further stated that they thrashed him when he tried to resist.
The Army official and his fiancée managed to reach the Bharatpur Police Station late at night to lodge an FIR against the hooligans. They alleged that the police personnel at Bharatpur Police Station assaulted them instead of acting on their complaint to apprehend the hooligans, the source said.
The Army official further claimed that his fiancée was subjected to both physical and sexual assault at the police station by police personnel, including female officers, the source added.
The state government has already ordered a Crime Branch inquiry into the incident and suspended five police personnel from Bharatpur Police Station, including the Inspector in Charge (IIC).
Both the BJD and Congress have demanded the arrest of the police officials involved in the incident and called for criminal proceedings against them.
Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik strongly condemned the alleged assault on the Army official and the alleged sexual assault of his fiancée. He has demanded a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) and judicial probe, along with stringent punishment for the police officials involved.
PNN & Agencies