Why Do we Demand CBI inquiry into Murder of Ranjan Kumar Das, RTI Activist and Dalit Leader in Odisha ?
Ranjan Kumar Das is not an ordinary but extraordinary RTI Activist and anti-corruption crusader in Kendrapara district of Odisha. He belonged to the Scheduled Caste and was a firebrand RTI Activist fighting for human rights and social justice. He started his career as RTI Activist being member of Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan in 2016.
He had carried out a number of RTI sensitive programme to educate the people about RTI Act. He had personally filed several RTI Applications to different offices and exposed corruption in construction of RD Road, illegal construction of play ground in his village, illegal construction of OTDC Building inside Bhirakanika Sanctuary under Mahakalapada block, illegal prawn cultivation by private companies, corruption in illegal allotment of houses under IAY/ PMAY, BijuPuccaYojana, Irregularities in Anganwadi Centres. He has filed several complaints to State Vigilance, Cuttack and Lokayukta, Odisha.
His RTI Activism and constant expose of corruption in Marshaghai and Mahakalapada block of Kendrapara district had created enmity with corruption officials, contractors and vested groups of BJD party functionaries associated with Sri Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, MLA. Prior to his murder, Ranjan had been attacked and threatened of murder several times by goons , local contractors associated with MLA Mr. Nayak. On 11.12.19., Mr. Ranjan Kumar Das had himself lodged an FIR in Patkura PS alleging mortal threat to his life along with abusing slang against his Scheduled Caste identity hurled by a particular person and his group vide FIR No. 0379 of 2019 under Sections 294/506 of IPC and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s) and 3(2)(va) of the SC and ST (PoA) Act 1989. Similarly, Ranjan had also filed another complaint in Mahakalapada Police Station on 31.1.20 alleging that Sri Sanjay Rout, village- Shikar under Mahakalapada PS , in his absence entered his house on 27.1.20. and took away hard disk, Rs. 15,000.00 and two important files from his house on the plea of repair of CCTV responding query of his mother. The police has not registered the case. On same day, Ranjan Das was murdered and thrown at roadside of Berhuan village. Had the Police acted upon these FIRs by way of taking action against the culprits and providing necessary security and protection to Ranjan Kumar Das, the ghstly murder of Mr. Das on 0.02.2020 would have been well nigh avoided.
Ranjan was murdered and his dead body was found on 1.2..20 on the roadside of Berhuan village under Marshagahi Police Station area of Kendrapara district. It was also observed that his motor-bike showing no damage at all was placed over his upturned upper-body and the grassy spot also didn’t show any visible helter-skelter. Having sensed it as a cold-blooded murder orchestrated by a group of miscreants engaged by the vested interests,
Shri Balaram Das , brother-in-law of Ranjan Das handed over an FIR on the spot to the Inspector-in-Charge, Marshaghai Police Station in the presence of SP, Kendrapara seeking for an immediate and proper inquiry into murder of Ranjan Kumar Das. The police registered it as the case no. 24 of 2020 on the same day i.e. 1.2.20 and started investigation.
However, the family members of Rajan Kumar Das were neither appraised about the progress of investigation nor provided a copy of Post Mortem Report or Viscera report. But the real truth surfaced on 10.3.20, the day of Holy, when one Sri TrilochanBarik, a miscreant of Talasanga village of Talasanga GP who happens to be BJD party cadre publicly declared, “We ourselves murdered Ranjan Das and will also murder another two such youthsof our area. The video footage containing his declaration got viral. On 13.3.20, Sri Laxmidhar Das, Father of Ranjan filed an FIR inPatkura Police Station against Sri TrilochanBarik and his gang alleging their involvement in the murder of his son. But, the police did not carry out any inquiry into the matter.
On 15.3.20 at around 10.15 pm, Sri Bibek Jena of Manikpur village along with 5 goons, who are close aides of Sri AtanuSabyasachiNayak, local MLA shouted in front of Late RanjanDas’s house using slang words and casteist aspersions against his parents . When Bansidhar Das, father ofRanjan Das came out from the house, the said Bibek Jena asserted, “We had planned to murder your son and succeeded too.” Then, Bibek threatened him, “Withdraw the case immediately, otherwise you will also be murdered”. On 16.3.2020,SriBansidhar Das filed an FIR in Patkura Police Station against Bibek and his group. The police registered the FIR, but no inquiry or follow-up whatsoever has been conducted so far.
On a complaint LY Case no. 271/20 filed before the Hon’bleLokayukta, Odisha seeking for a comprehensive and impartial inquiry into the murder of Ranjan Kumar Das, a firebrand RTI and social justice activist. In response to the notice issued by Lokayukta, the ADG, Crime Branch, Cuttack submitted a report which merely reproduced the inquiry report submitted earlier by the SP ,Kendrapara that had carried a manufactured story portraying Ranjan’s murder as a case of accident.
From the day one, the family members had been alleging involvement of police and their criminal complicity with local goons and contractors in the conspiracy to murder Ranjan Das who had exposed corruption and huge misappropriation of fund development works by the contractors enjoying political patronage of Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, local MLA. That’s why , on 13.5.20, Laxmidhar Das, father of deceased Ranjan Das personally met ADG, Crime Branch, Cuttack , appraised him criminal complicity of local police with murderers and requested him for Crime branch inquiry.
It is worth to mention here that apprehending conspiracy of local police with criminals for hushing up inquiry into murder of Ranjan Das, the opposition parties BJP and Congress had submitted memorandum to Director General of Police urging him to order for Crime Branch Inquiry.
RTI Activists had also submitted a memorandum dt.3.8.20 to the ADG, Crime Branch, Cuttack requesting for inquiry into murder of Ranjan Das. On 9th February20, fourteen retired Civil Servants of the country had written letter to you with reference to murder of Ranjan Das expressing their concern at number of RTI Activists facing violent threats and losing their lives to violent and criminal elements in Odisha and requested for taking action against the criminals and provide support and compensation to the family members.
While going through the report dt.5.11.20 submitted by Dept. of Home, Govt. of Odisha in the Lokayukta, Odisha which has been approved by DG Police, we strongly suspect that the SP, Kendrapara under the pressure of the ruling political lobby and MLA Sri Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak have manipulated the investigation including the post-mortem report so as to hush up the truth of a well-conspired murder of Ranjan Kumar Das.
We, the RTI Activists and members of Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan observe that despite several persuasion and plethora of requests made by family members and OSAA for effective investigation into murder of Ranjan Das and nab culprits, the District police not only turned their deaf ear but hushed up inquiry at the instance of the BJD goons and their mentor Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak. Even the state police administration did not accept our request for crime branch inquiry. The silence of DG police motivated SO, Kendrapara to cover up the inquiry and close the case. We have lost our minimum trust on Odisha Police to get justice .
Keeping it in view, we strongly feel that Ranjan murder case must be handed over to CBI for inquiry in order to provide justice to the family .
Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482
Date-14.12.20
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