Kunduli rape case: HC issues notices to Odisha govt, CBI

The Orissa High Court today issued notices to the state government and the CBI on pleas seeking a probe by the central investigation agency into the six-month-old Kunduli gangrape case.

From a batch of pleas pertaining to the case, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Vineet Saran took cognisance of two petitions, one filed by the girl's brother and another by former Lok Sabha member Kharavela Swain.

The bench issued notices to all respondents, including the Director General of Police of Odisha and the Superintendent of Police, Koraput, asking them to file their counters within three weeks.

A joint hearing will be held on May 3.

At least six petitions, including the one filed by the victim's brother, Bhagban Chhati, were transferred here from the Supreme Court in February.

The matter pertains to the alleged rape of a 17-year-old Dalit girl by four men in Kunduli in Koraput district on October 10, 2017.

Alleging torture and harassment by police, the girl had committed suicide on January 22.

Swain, a former parliamentarian, in his plea sought a CBI inquiry to ascertain the facts and circumstances that forced the minor girl to commit suicide nearly 100 days after she alleged that she was raped by security personnel.

Bhagaban in his plea alleged that the state police destroyed and tampered with the medical evidence.

He also alleged that several government officials had driven her sister to commit suicide.