Political pressure in Pipili case comes under probe panel scanner

A commission looking into the 2008 Pipili gang-rape indicated it would probe whether the girl was initially not given proper treatment at hospitals.

Cuttack: A commission looking into the 2008 Pipili gang-rape on Friday indicated it would probe whether the girl, who later died, was initially not given proper treatment at government hospitals due to political interference.

Turning down objection from government advocate, the Justice P K Mohanty Commission of Inquiry issued notice to the state government asking it to file a counter with call details of the then Pipili police station in-charge-officer Amulya Kumar Champatiray between November 28, 2011 and January 10, 2012. The notice was issued following an application filed by advocate Nishikanta Mishra, who is appearing for some relatives of the victim. Mishra alleged that the FIR filed by the victim`s relatives had alleged that due to political interference, local doctors and doctors at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar did not treat the victim properly when she was initially taken to these hospitals. "Despite specific allegations of political interference in the FIR, the investigating police officers did not examine any political leader during the investigation," Mishra alleged. Mishra said political interference in the matter would be established, if the call detail records of former inspector and the police station were examined. Allowing Mishra`s application, the Commission issued notice to the government asking it to file its counter within four weeks. Meanwhile, four of five key witnesses, including the tractor drivers and helpers who first saw the victim lying semi-nude and unconscious at a deserted place on November 28, 2011 at Pipili in Odisha`s Puri district, deposed that they had not written or read the affidavits that were submitted on their behalf before the Commission. They claimed that an influential person of the locality had asked them to sign the affidavits and they had not met any advocate or notary public in making the affidavits. The 19-year-old victim died on June 21, 2012. PTI