SANTILATA BARAL v. STATE OF ODISHA
Court: High Court of Orissa
Bench: MISS JUSTICE SAVITRI RATHO
Judgment date:
Case summary
High Court of Orissa judgment dated 2026-04-09. SANTILATA BARAL v. STATE OF ODISHA. Read the judgment and case details on LawSphereX.
Judgment text
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK CRLMP No. 337 of 2026 Santilata Baral ….. Petitioner Mr. Pramod Kumar Nayak, Advocate -versus- State of Odisha Director General of Police, The Superintendent of Police, Inspector-in-Charge, Brahmagiri P. S. , District-Puri ….. Opposite Parties Mr. S. J. Mohanty, ASC CORAM: [ HON’BLE MISS JUSTICE SAVITRI RATHO ORDER 09. 04. 2026 (Through hybrid mode) 1. This CRLMP has been filed for transfer of investigation of the FIR dated 22. 09. 2025 and 17. 10. 2025 registered at Brahmagiri P. S. to an independent agency such as the State Crime Branch or Central Bureau of Investigation or in the alternative, direct Opposite Parties No. 2 and 3 to ensure fair, impartial and time-bound investigation by a senior officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police. 2. Mr. Pramod Kumar Nayak, learned counsel for the Petitioner submits that because the Mahendra Baral, father-in-law of the Petitioner had submitted an FIR on 22. 09.
2025 leading to registration of Brahmagiri P. S. Case No. 391 of 2025 under Sections 296/ 126 (2)/ 351 (2) and 3 (5) of the BNS against the villagers who were harassing the family of the Petitioner, so they conspired and connived together as a result in Himanshu Kumar Baral-husband of the informant died on 02. 10. 2025 due to electrocution. Pursuant to her complaint, Brahmagiri P. S. Case No. 425 of 2025 has been registered on 17. 10. 2025. But he apprehends that the investigation may not be conducted in a proper manner due to political pressure. 3. Pursuant to direction of this Court, instructions dated 07. 04. 2026 of the IIC, Brahmagiri P. S. is produced by Mr. S. J. Mohanty, learned Additional Standing Counsel from which it appears that on 02. 10. 2025 on receipt of an MLC from the District Head Quarter, Puri regarding ‘brought dead’ of deceased Himansu Kumar Baral, Brahmagiri P. S. UD Case No. 27 dated 02. 10.
2025 had been registered and inquest and post mortem examination had been conducted over the dead body of the deceased on the same day and that post mortem report indicated that ‘death is due to electrocution as a result of contact with a live electrical object’. It is also stated in the instructions that on 17. 10. 2025, after receipt of the complaint from the Petitioner, Brahmagiri P. S. Case No. 425 dated 17. 10. 2025 was registered under Sections 105/ 3(5) of the BNS and the investigation was taken up by Sub-Inspector, Prafulla Kumar Naik. During investigation, it has been found that death could have occurred due to touching of illegal hooking wire. The statements of villagers and the electric officials have been recorded under Section 180 of BNSS. It is also stated that earlier Brahmagiri P. S. Case No. 391 of 2025 had been registered on the information of Maheswar Baral and after completion of investigation, chargesheet no. 536 dated 16. 11.
2025 had been submitted against 9 accused persons, namely, (1) Bulu @ Bijana Baral, (2) Kanduri Baral, (3) Chakradhara Pradhan, (4) Sangu @ Amarendra Baral, (5) Chitaranjan Samantaray, (6) Chitrasena Baral, (7) Ajaya Baral, (8) Bikram Baral, and (9) Brahmananda Baral under Sections 296/ 126 (2)/ 351 (2)/ 3 (5) of the BNS and investigation in Brahmagiri P. S. Case No. 425 dated 17. 10. 2025 is continuing. 4. I am, therefore, satisfied that at present there is no necessity for handing over investigation of the case to any independent agency. But in view of the apprehension of the Petitioner and the background of the case, the CRLMP is disposed of directing the Opposite Party No. 3-The Superintendent of Police, Puri to direct for supervision of the investigation in Brahmagiri P. S. Case No. 425 of 2025 by a Senior Officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police. 5. Urgent certified copy of this order be granted on proper application.
(Savitri Ratho) Judge puspa Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed Signed by: PUSPANJALI MOHAPATRA Reason: Authentication Location: Orissa High Court Date: 09-Apr-2026 19:17:31
Source: High Court of Orissa. Dataset: Dattam Labs. CC BY 4.0. Text extracted automatically; compare with the source PDF for layout and accuracy.