Suspended Orissa DGP untraced for 4th day

Bhubaneswar, Aug 27 (UNI) Orissa Police have failed to locate suspended Director General of Police (Home Guard and fire services) B B Mohanti, who remained elusive for the fourth day today.

Mr Mohanty was suspended after an NBW, issued by a Jaipur court, was handed over to Cuttack District Collector on August 24 last to execute it.

Cuttack Superintendent of Police, who was asked to execute the warrant, could not locate him despite all efforts and searches at several places during the past three days in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

The NBW was issued against Mr Mohanty for abetting his son Bitihotra, convicted and sentenced in Alwar rape case, to jump parole.

Orissa Director General of Police Amarananda Patnaik today said, ''We are doing our best,'' and Cuttack Superintendent of Police was on the job. The SP had sent police teams to a couple of places today but had not been able to achieve any success.

Asked whether Mr Mohanti would surrender, the DGP said he had talked to his advocate and was told that Mr Mohanti would file an appeal in Orissa High Court against the NBW and would take a decision on surrender depending on the outcome of the appeal.

Meanwhile, activists of Social Welfare Association and Right Action for Justice today blocked the NH 5 near here to protest the move by Rajasthan and Orissa Governments to arrest Mr Mohanti.

They argued that when no action was taken in the past when 35 prisoners had jumped parole in Rajasthan and 42 in Orissa, the suspended DGP was singled out and targeted.

UNI