Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
Unless the Inspector-in-Charge agrees, no complaint can even enter into the Diary of the Police Station, says the Officer, who had received a complaint on 3 December 2012 in Cuttack’s Cantonment P.S. from Surendra Behera, an employee of ‘The Samaja’, founded by Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, but allegedly fraudulently occupied by the Servants of the People Society. The IIC has not yet agreed to take cognizance of the complaint. So, despite the complaint legally filed in writing by the workman against a person who subjected him to criminal intimidation and wrongful confinement and another who abetted the crime, the complaint which should have been immediately registered as first information, has been kept out of attention.
The SoPS is in a quagmire of internecine battle between two groups of its members. The genuine fraction is led by its President Onkar Chand with Prof. K.C.Tripathi as acting President and the rival fraction by Manubhai Patel, which, despite brandishing an election in support of its claim to office, has not yet been able to establish the required legitimacy in the eyes of Law.
The IIC is aware of the mischief the Patel fraction is playing. In deciding Criminal Misc. case No. 569/12, U/s 144(2) Cr.P.C. instituted by the IIC of the cantonment P.S. Cuttack, the ADCP-cum-Executive Magistrate had to make mention that “coercive actions taken by the management may accentuate the tension prevailing inside the campus which may lead to wide spread chaos and can lead to risk of life and property”.
On the basis of the report of the IIC, the Court had further expressed apprehension that “highhanded attitude” of the occupiers of the Samaja may provoke stoppage of the paper’s circulation.
So, the IIC of Cantonment P.S. on whose report the Magistrate had taken cognizance of the case mentioned above, is aware of the “highhanded attitude” and “coercive action” of the occupiers of The Samaja who are yet to establish their legitimacy in representing SoPS.
One of such “highhanded” and “coercive action” is transfer and suspension of Devi Prasanna Nayak, President of the Trade Union of the employees of The Samaja.
The workforce could have gone on strike in protest against the illegality resorted to against Sri Nayak and the publication of the paper, as apprehended by the IIC as well as Magistrate, could have stopped.
But Sri Nayak, a totally disciplined, dedicated and well educated journalist, whose love, reverence and devotion to Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das is absolute, has done his best to ensure that the publication of The Samaja not stop, despite provocations.
Yet, the occupiers of The Samaja are continuing to harass Sri Nayak, because he is not willing to disobey the known authorities of SoPS, President Onkar Chand and acting President Prof. K.C.Tripathi.
They have cooked up a case of disobedience against him and have appointed a man as Inquiry Officer to make out the case against him.
This IO forced Sri Behera in a closed room in the Samaja office on 3 December 2012 to sign on dotted line on a backdated letter and kept him wrongfully confined in the room while requiring him to sign a document he was then preparing. Behera refused to comply with the wrong order and escaped from the confinement and reported to the Cantonment P.S. forthwith, seeking protection, as he was intimidated with threat to his service.
The IIC is refusing to register the information or admit it even into station diary.
This is not a solitary instance. The FIR filed by Sourav Sahu against persons that constitute the Patel fraction is gathering dust in the P.S. since 19 July 2011 despite directions of the Orissa High Court to the Police to inquire into allegations of corruption and misappropriations of the funds of the Samaja and to “proceed with the case in accordance with Law”.
In the High Court case, the Director General of Police was a member of the Opposite Party. So, he knows that the Police Station had not acted against the practitioners of alleged corruption and misappropriation of funds of The Samaja.
As O.P. No.1, he had got the High Court direction dated 2 May 2011.
Despite that, when no action was taken against the accused persons, Sri Sahu moved the High Court again, seeking a direction for implementation of the Court’s May 2, 2011 orders.
The DGP was also made the O.P. in this case.
And, on 14 July 2011, the High Court issued orders to immediately implement the earlier order of May 2, 2011.
Being the O.P., the DGP also received the order wherein the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cuttack was directed to ensure that action is taken without delay.
The IIC of Cantonment P.S. was to take action. But he is yet sleeping over the issue.
Is it not time for the DGP to look at the Cantonment P.S. of Cuttack and see whether or not the corrupt occupiers of ‘The Samaja’ have gained over the IIC; and if not, why is he sleeping?