Commission of Inquiry on Army officer's abuse extended till January 2025

Bhubaneswar, Nov 16: The Odisha Government has extended the duration of the Commission of Inquiry, which is led by retired Orissa High Court judge Justice Chittaranjan Das, to continue investigating the alleged custodial abuse of an Army officer and his fiancée at Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar.

According to an official notification from the Home Department issued on Friday, the extension was deemed necessary to thoroughly investigate the case and counter-case concerning the alleged assault and misbehaviour involving the Army officer and his fiancée at the police station.

Originally scheduled for two months, the Commission's tenure, which was set to conclude on November 22, has now been extended by 70 days. The updated timeline changes the previous deadline of "within 60 days" to "by January 31, 2025."

Following national outrage, the Odisha government had ordered a time-bound judicial inquiry into the incident, where the Army captain was allegedly assaulted and his fiancée sexually assaulted by police personnel while they were at the station to file a road rage complaint on the night of September 15.

On November 14, the Army officer and his fiancée testified before the commission. Reports suggest that 16 individuals have been summoned, and the commission is expected to begin collecting testimonies after reviewing over 500 affidavits related to the case.