AS Naidu in Rourkela on Saturday. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 3: The Justice A.S. Naidu Commission today made a spot visit to Rourkela to begin probe into the alleged assault of a judicial magistrate by policemen.

The complaint, lodged by judicial magistrate first class Arun Patnaik, stated that Patnaik had allegedly been misbehaved and heckled by the police officials.

He was allegedly lifted in a police jeep, when he was standing in front of his official residence and talking on his cellphone on the night of April 2.

The magistrate, stationed in Rourkela, alleged that even after disclosing his identity, the police officer slapped and detained Patnaik at Udit Nagar police station for hours that night.

The then local SP, Diptesh Patnaik, too, allegedly advised Patnaik to resolve the matter through amicable settlement.

The alleged incident had triggered state-wide protests by the legal community. Agitated lawyers of Orissa High Court and other courts across Orissa had boycotted proceedings demanding transfer of the Rourkela SP and arrest of the accused inspector in-charge, Sadananda Pujari.

Later, the Orissa government appointed retired high court judge Justice Naidu to probe into the incident. The Rourkela SP was asked to take leave.

On reaching Rourkela, Naidu today visited the Udit Nagar police station and the judicial magistrate’s residence.

In the police station, Naidu verified various records, including those in connection with the magistrate’s detention.

Secretary of the commission Kashinath Panigrahi said: “During the verification of records, the commission tried to find out how many other persons were locked at the time when the police brought the magistrate to the police station.”

The commission also tried to ascertain the fact as to who had brought the magistrate to the police station and how he had been left at his home. “Naidu also examined affidavits filed by advocates on behalf of the magistrate and the police,” said Panigrahi, adding that the next sitting would be held on September 11 in Cuttack.