Court rejects plea to bring IPS under CB probe purview

A lower court here today dismissed a petition seeking to bring IPS officer and former Kendrapara SP Satish Gajbhiye under the purview of the ongoing investigation by the state police pertaining to tainted self-styled godman Santosh Roul alias Sarathi Baba.
The court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) B Gautam dismissed the petition filed by a High Court lawyer observing that it was "premature" to take a decision on the matter.
The magistrate, however, was of the opinion that if any relevant evidence is available with the petitioner, he is at liberty to approach the crime branch of police in this matter.

Advocate Bidyadhar Mangraj had yesterday approached the SDJM's court stating that the IPS officer was working to further the interest and cause of the tainted godman.
Alleging that the godman had amassed huge fortunes, as brought out by the crime branch investigation, the petitioner had urged the court to bring Gajbhiye in the case since he had purchased huge tracts of land in Puri district in the name of his wife in 2012.
While the public prosecutor had sought seven days' time for hearing on the petition, the court had decided to adjudicate the matter today in view of the importance of the matter.

Concluding day-long hearings, the magistrate pronounced the verdict in the afternoon.