Cuttack: Orissa High Court has directed
the Pipili police to register a case on the basis of an FIR
filed by an advocate whose house was allegedly attacked last
month.
The advocate Nishikant Mishra in a writ had approached
the HC stating that his house under Pipili police station area
was attacked with bombs by local MLA and senior BJD leader and
ruling BJD MLA, former Minister Pradeep Maharathy along with
some 25-30 of his supporters around 10:30 pm on March 25.
Although Mishra had filed an FIR in this connection
with the state DGP and sent copies of the FIR to Puri SP,
Pipili SDPO and local police station, the police have not
registered a case on the basis of the police complaint.
Adjudicating over the writ, the bench of Justice C R
Dash yesterday directed the police to immediately register
a case and conduct investigation.
At the same time the HC also asked the state to file a
counter within seven days detailing what possible security
could be provided to the advocate and to his family as they
are under constant threat.
Mishra claims that he and is family is under threat
from anti-social elements ever since he appeared as a witness
before Justice (Retd) PK Mohanty Commission which is now
probing into the sensational Pipili rape case.
Mishra too had brought this to the notice of the
Judicial Commission seeking protection of the witnesses as
anti-social elements with vested interest are targeting the
witnesses.
Rejecting a status report by the government in this
connection, the HC asked the state government to file a fresh
affidavit by next week detailing security measures to the
advocate and his family members.
PTI
