Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation sleuths Tuesday met Commissioner of Police Sudhanshu Sarangi at his office in Police Seva Bhavan here. Sources said the two officials including the investigating officer and the lawyer discussed with the police commissioner the details in connection with the Anjana Mishra gangrape case in 1999.
However, the CBI sleuths refused to share with the media details of the discussions with the commissioner. The officials told the press that the discussions were secret in nature which could not be disclosed before the press.
Meanwhile, sources revealed that the CBI will soon seek the court’s permission to take the prime accused, Bibekananda Biswal, alias Biban, in remand for further investigation. The CBI will conduct a TI parade of Biban for identification by the witnesses in the case.
The victim, Mishra, again requested the CBI to unravel the conspirators behind the heinous crime. She reiterated her allegations about the involvement of former Chief Minister Janaki Ballabh Patnaik and his lawyer friend then Advocate General Indrajit Ray in the case.
Meanwhile, legal experts questioned the role of CBI and the investigating officers of the state police for failing to request the court for the confiscation of the properties of Biban who remained absconded for 22 years despite the issuance of a warrant by the court.
As per Section 83 of the CrPC, the court can attach the property of the absconding offender if he fails to appear before the court within a certain period of time. Sources claimed that had the CBI officials taken advantage of the specific legal measure, it could have succeeded in arresting Biban.
Notably, the commissionerate police, in a secret operation, managed to arrest Biban from Aamby Valley in Lonavala area of Maharashtra February 20.