Orissa nun rape: 5 months later,CID files chargesheet

Submitting a preliminary chargesheet before Dolagobinda Barik,Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate of Baliguda,this afternoon,the CID has accused 10 people of either rape or abetting the rape. They are Jhuria Pradhan (50) and his son Kartik Pradhan (22),Saroj Bhadei and his son Muna Bhadei,brothers Tapas Patnaik and Santosh Patnaik,Biren Sahu,Somanath Pradhan,Gajendra Digal and Jharalal Behera.

The CID has given the sequence of events that led to the rape in detail in the chargesheet.

The nun’s medical examination was conducted at the Baliguda Sub-Divisional Hospital at 10 pm on August 25 and she filed the FIR (No 70/2008) at Baliguda police station the next day.

CID Inspector General Arun Ray told The Indian Express that his people have submitted a set of another 50 names who were part of the mob that assaulted the woman. The investigative agency has requested the court to issue non-bailable warrants against them. These 50 people are still at large.

The CID would file a supplementary chargesheet after they are arrested.

The case was handed over to the CID on October 3 after the Baliguda police sat on the case for about 40 days. The local police did not even pick up the report of the nun’s medical examination till The Indian Express reported it.

“We have submitted the first chargesheet within the stipulated 120 days. Now the court will frame charges and the trial will start,” Ray said.