Orissa HC suggests SIT probe into 2017 Kunduli gangrape case

The Orissa High Court ordered the crime branch of the state police on Friday to submit the final report on the 2017 Kunduli gangrape case within four weeks after completing the investigation.

It also suggested setting up of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the incident in case the police failed to meet the deadline.

The SIT will work under the court's supervision and guidance, a division bench headed by Chief Justice K S Jhaveri said.

It also directed the police to ascertain the circumstances that led the minor rape survivor to commit suicide after three months.

The girl was allegedly raped by four security personnel on October 10, 2017 in the Kunduli forest, near Musaguda village, in Koraput district.

Alleging torture and harassment by the police, the rape survivor committed suicide on January 22, 2018.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Aira Kharvela Swain and the girl's brother had filed separate petitions in the high court seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Expressing displeasure over the inordinate delay by the state police in completing the investigation into the "sensitive case", the bench turned down the state government's request through Advocate General Ashok Parija for another three months' time.

Posting the matter to September 4, the bench asked Parija to ensure that the final report was filed before the next date of hearing or else, the SIT would take over the investigation.

The court suggested both the petitioners to submit a list of six senior officers from the probe agencies of the central and state governments, following which it would select three of them with at least two from the central agencies to constitute the SIT.