HC notice to Odisha govt on removal of chairperson, members of women panel
The Department of Women and Child Development which conducted the performance review of the chairperson and members had found the Commission's performance unsatisfactory.
“Looking at the recent surge of cases pertaining to delay in registration of First Information Reports (FIRs), it seems institutional lethargy has crept into the system, which is unfortunate,” the Orissa High Court observed while taking exception to mounting cases of state police not registering FIRs filed by complainants.
Justice Dr. S K Panigrahi, responding to a petition by Mrs. Bandhana Toppo, said in a strongly-worded order, “This court fails to fathom as to why the petitioner should be made to rush to the high court for seeking an order from this court to get the FIR registered, this itself smacks of the insensitivities of the concerned police station.”
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The petitioner, Toppo, had registered a complaint with Infocity Police Station in Bhubaneswar. However, the Inspector-In-Charge of the police did not entertain the FIR. As a last resort, she had moved the HC seeking intervention in the matter.
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The inaction shown by the police is deplored. If there is even a shred of truth in the allegations made herein, such infamy by the police deserves strong condemnation. The core mission of the police is to protect citizens from the undesirable elements of society. But if its actions were to leave the community more vulnerable to criminal victimization, it would undermine the popular confidence in law enforcement, the Court said in the order.
The Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar is directed not to assign the concerned policeman to any field posting for one year. Also, appropriate steps shall be taken at the end of the Police Commissioner, Bhubaneswar to send the said officer for sensitisation training at the Biju Patnaik Police Academy, Bhubaneswar for one month.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police is directed to personally monitor the investigation of the concerned case while keeping all influences at bay and submit the Final Report within three months, the HC directed.
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