Dead female cop’s father challenges judicial probe
Devanand Oraon, father of deceased woman police officer Rupa Tirkey, on Saturday filed another application with Jharkhand high court, seeking order to quash the state government’s recent notification through which a one-man enquiry commission was constituted to probe into his daughter’s death
Devanand Oraon, father of deceased woman police officer Rupa Tirkey, on Saturday filed another application with Jharkhand high court, seeking order to quash the state government’s recent notification through which a one-man enquiry commission was constituted to probe into his daughter’s death.
Oraon’s move came within 24 hours of him meeting chief minister Hemant Soren. Oraon, along with Congress’ Mandar legislator Bandhu Tirkey, met the chief minister on Friday seeking CBI probe into his daughter’s death.
Tirkey (26), who was a sub-inspector posted at Sahibganj women’s police station, was found hanging inside her official quarter at police line on May 3 night. According to police investigation made so far, Tirkey’s friend and sub-inspector Shiv Kumar Kanaujia allegedly harassed her, which led to her death by suicide. Kanaujia has been arrested in this case.
However, Tirkey’s father has repeatedly raised serious suspicions over police’s “death by suicide” theory, alleging that her daughter was murdered. He has also gone as far as to claim that some people closely connected with those in corridors of power were involved in the “murder”. He doubted role of one Pankaj Mishra, a representative of local MLA.
Making the same demanding of probe by the central agency into his daughter’s death, Oraon earlier filed a criminal writ petition in the high court. Jharkhand’s main opposition party BJP, and some social-tribal organisations have also supported Oraon’s demand. A BJP delegation also met Governor Draupadi Murmu early this week in this regard.
Meanwhile, the state government on June 8 issued a notification appointing a one-man commission headed by Justice (retired) BK Gupta to inquire into all allegations and counter allegations and other issues related to Tirkey’s death.
Filing an interlocutory application (IA) in his recent criminal writ petition, Oraon urged the court to set aside the government’s notification through which a one-man commission was appointed.
He submitted that the commission, that was appointed under Commission of Enquiry Act, 1952, will not be able to investigate into a murder case, as the complete probe involves collection of evidences, verification of call records, raids and arrest of accused persons and many other aspects.
Demanding a CBI probe, he stated that there was a huge difference between the commission and the CBI. “The commission can only work as per the terms of reference set by the government, but the CBI is independent,” Oraon said.
He pointed out that the commission was given six months’ time to complete its inquiry, but non-institution of CBI probe for such a long period will lead to destruction of evidences. “If the government is really serious to bring out the truth, it should have referred the case to the CBI,” Oraon’s lawyer Rajiv Kumar said, while confirming filing of the above IA.
He added, “As per legal provision, the commission’s recommendations are not binding to the government.”
Oraon, in his criminal writ petition, has also stated that his daughter was killed and hanged by the accused.
He alleged that his daughter was harassed by some of her colleagues at the instance of Mishra, and another person Dahu Yadav. Oraon alleged that going against Mishra’s wishes, her daughter refused to manage some of the cases pending before her. This led to her murder, he alleged.
