‘Hush-hush manner’: Orissa high court orders fresh probe in RTI activist’s death

Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi told the Odisha Police’s crime branch to investigate the death of RTI activist Ranjan Kumar Das in 2020

Published on: Jan 31, 2023, 19:35:22 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa high court has ordered the crime branch to probe afresh the death of a 35-year-old right to information (RTI) activist who was found dead in February 2020, observing that the initial investigation by the police was completed in a “hush-hush manner”.

Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi said the police have completed the investigation in a hush-hush manner without bringing all angles to the ambit of investigation (File Photo: Orissa high court website)

Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi ordered the fresh probe on a petition filed by Laxmidhar Das, father of RTI activist Ranjan Kumar Das, who contested the police version that his son died in a road accident. Laxmidhar said his son appeared to have been murdered.

The judge gave the crime branch three months to complete its probe.

“It transpires that the police have not given the proper thought to the video clips and the culprits therein. The police have completed the investigation in a hush-hush manner without bringing all angles to the ambit of investigation. The matter be handed over to the Crime Branch for a de novo inquiry regarding the death of the son of the petitioner. The investigating officer is directed to hand over the charge of the investigation to the Crime Branch forthwith, which is directed to complete the investigation as early as possible, preferably within a period of three months from the date of taking over,” justice Panigrahi said.

Ranjan Kumar Das, an RTI activist known to have filed many information requests that unearthed several irregularities in Kendrapara district, was found dead about 2km from his home on February 1, 2020. His family said Das had injury marks on his face and his motorcycle was found parked in a ditch near the body.

Police officers in Kendrapara who investigated the case said Das appeared to have slipped and fallen into the field and died of injuries that he sustained in the accident.

But the RTI activist’s family said there were gaps in the police version which did not explain how his motorcycle was found parked. RTI activists in Odisha also pointed to the string of requests filed by Das, which they said, was hurting interests of some influential businesses in the region.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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