Zeenews Bureau
Guwahati: The Assam government on Tuesday handed over the probe into the shocking case of molestation of a teenage girl outside a pub in Guwahati to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The state government led by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi decided to hand over the case to CID to ensure transparency in probe especially after reports claimed that a journalist was involved in the crime.
Meanwhile, five more accused where arrested in late night raids taking the total number of persons arrested in the case to 12.
The arrested five are Nabajyoti Baruah from Tamalpur area of Baksa district, Debabrata Das from Goreswar in Baksa district, Jitumoni Deka from Hatigaon area of the city, Rupkanta Kalita from Nalbari and Deepak Dey from Shillong.
The prime accused Amarjyoti Kalita is most probably hiding in Odisha as his mobile phone calls have been traced to Bhubaneswar, even as the police are set to intensify, Tuesday, the operation to nab him.
In a related development, Guwahati's top police officer was yesterday shunted out following public outrage over handling of the case and his controversial comments over the incident.
City SSP Apurba Jiban Baruah, who had termed the class XI student's ordeal as a stray incident that was hyped by the national media, has been transferred to Dibrugarh and replaced by SP of that city Arabinda Kalita.
The National Commission for Women had also sought the removal of Baruah.
The NCW itself courted controversy with Congress leader Alka Lamba removed from a fact finding team of the panel that went to Guwahati for making public the victim's identity.
"... It was wrong on her part to publicise the name of the victim. That is the reason she was removed," NCW Chairperson Mamta Sharma said in Delhi.
The Chief Minister had personally met the girl and assured her of all possible help. Following the meeting, the CM’s office landed in a controversy after it issued a press release in which the victim's name was mentioned and her photograph was also shared.
In a bid to do damage control, Gogoi's office immediately sent out an e-mail to reporters asking them to protect the girl’s identity.
First Published: Tuesday, July 17, 2012, 09:41