IAS off. lures girls in sex trade
Bhubaneswar High Court summoned Prashant Kumar Nayak, an IAS officer in connection with the Balasore sex scandal for being involved in luring girls in flesh trade.
Bhubaneswar High Court summoned Prashant Kumar Nayak, an IAS officer in connection with the Balasore sex scandal for being involved in luring girls in flesh trade.
Nayak who is already facing charges of rape has been summoned on the basis of prima facie evidence.
"There are prima facie materials against IAS officer Prashant Kumar Nayak of being involved in the criminal conspiracy for attempt of rape. Therefore, the court taking taken cognisance issued summons to him appear before the court", said M S Panda, Advocate of the appellant.
Balasore sex scandal came to light in 1999 when Harapriya Barik, visited Bhubaneswar in 1999 at the instance of her teacher on the pretext of getting a job and was allegedly raped by some bureaucrats of the state.
Later it was found that a physical instructor of a women's college (KKS Women's College) was involved, who trapped students and send them to Bhubaneswar, where the bureaucrats sexually exploited them.
CBI had earlier investigated the case and had given a clean chit to Nayak.
On May 3, 2006 High Court had directed the CBI to re-investigate the Balasore sex scandal.
Barik, however not happy with the Government's action have alleged that the Government was shielding the bureaucrats.
"Why the Government is not suspending them (those accused of having raped)? Instead of taking action against them, the government is making me suffer", said Barik.
With the case going on for the last seven years, Barik is now demanding capital punishment for the rapists.
"Imprisonment will not be enough punishment for them. If they can delay the case for seven years, escaping from serving jail term will not be very difficult for them. They should be hanged," said Harapriya Barik, the victim.
Meanwhile, the accused Prashant Kumar Nayak, who was the Special Secretary to the then Chief Minister Giridhar Gomango rejected the charge referring to the clean chit given by the CBI.
"I know I am innocent. I have never seen that girl. I am in no way related to that incident. You kindly go through the CBI's findings. If some one says something, will it be a part of evidence to prosecute some one?" asked Prashant Kumar Nayak, an IAS officer.
The victim's teacher, Pravisini Kar, and Sushant Kumar Mohapatra, an officer of the Indian Information Service, have already been arrested for their alleged involvement in the scandal.
The next hearing has been scheduled on September 4.
Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Mukhtar Ansari Death News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.