Orissa High Court has directed a crime branch probe into the death of former India hockey team star Birendra Lakra’s friend Anand Topp.
Anand, 28, was found dead in a flat in Bhubaneswar on February 28, 2022. Earlier, the police had given a clean chit to Lakra in the case.
Anand, after his wedding, reportedly reached Bhubaneswar from Rourkela. On February 28 morning, he went to the flat where Lakra and his girlfriend Manjeet Tete were staying.
It was alleged that Anand did not want Manjeet to continue her relationship with Lakra. He wanted Manjeet to have a relationship with him only even after his marriage. Later, Anand had a fight with Manjeet. Anand allegedly committed suicide when she left for the bathroom.
However, Anand’s father, Bandhan, had alleged that Lakra and his girlfriend had a hand in the “murder". He had approached the high court following which the commissionerate police launched a probe on December 6, 2022. But it gave a clean chit to Lakra, 32, at present a DSP rank officer in Odisha. Unhappy with the probe, the father approached the high court again.
The court observed that as the accused person is a senior police officer, it would be proper if the probe is conducted by a higher rank officer. “This court, therefore, directs the Addl. Director General (Crime Branch) to entrust the investigation to a senior officer, not below the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police…,” the court said in its order.
The court has also pointed out various loopholes in the police probe. “If the statements of Manjeet and Lakra are read objectively, it would show certain palpable incongruities and significant aspects that have not been considered by the I.O. namely; (i) The deceased was found hanging from the ceiling fan with his knees 2” to 3” above the floor which is strange since nothing has been said as to what was the position of his feet. This would obviously imply that the lower part of his leg must have been folded backwards with his feet touching the ground. (ii) So, Manjeet's statement that having seen the deceased hanging from the ceiling fan she herself brought him down and opened the noose of the saree seems difficult to believe.”