Cuttack, March 9: Orissa High Court today ordered the registering of an FIR on basis of the complaint lodged against a police officer for allegedly assaulting and outraging the modesty of a woman who was accompanying Cuttack MP Bhatruhari Mahtab to Netaji Birthplace Museum on January 23.

Significantly, the same police officer had lodged a case against Bhartruhari Mahtab at Dargha Bazaar police station on the same date for “assaulting him and deterring him from discharging his duty” at the same venue. Mahtab, had however, rubbished the charges as “false”.

The single-judge bench of Justice Sanju Panda issued the direction on a petition alleging inaction on a complaint lodged against Amitabh Mohapatra, sub-inspector in charge of S.C.B. Medical College and Hospital outpost.

A 35-year-old woman from Oriya Bazar had filed the petition claiming that the alleged incident occurred when she was accompanying Mahtab to the museum. She alleged that the inspector-in-charge of the Dargha Bazar police station had refused to register the FIR. She had later sought intervention of the DCP for registering the FIR.

She had stated in her complaint: “Amitabh Mohapatra, sub-inspector in-charge of S.C.B. Medical College and Hospital outpost, together with his companions, bereft of police uniform, attacked me and my friends (while we were) accompanying local MP Bhartruhari Mahtab at Netaji Bhawan and assaulted most of us, taking advantage of the congested exit gate to the lawn.”

“When we wanted to know his status he claimed to have exercised the power of a police officer; he did not even listen to the request of the MP to allow us to go to the lawn through the exit gate,” the woman had stated in her complaint while alleging use of filthy language and outraging of her modesty by the policeman.

Earlier, the high court had directed the city police to file a counter affidavit. Subsequently, the city police had filed a counter affidavit dismissing the allegations as false.

Taking note of the counter affidavit, Justice Sanju Panda hauled up the police for not registering the FIR after receiving the complaint and coming to the conclusion that it was false without conducting proper investigation.

While disposing of the petition, Justice Sanju Panda directed the registering of an FIR on the complaint lodged by the woman and proceed with investigation in accordance with law.