Dharmendra Pradhan slams CB police for harassing scribes

BHUBANESWAR: Questioning of two journalists by the Crime Branch police seeking source of information of a report of the State Forensic Science Laboratory on the Kunduli gang rape case has drawn sharp criticism from Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan.In a democratic country like India, media functions independently and government has no right to interfere in the functioning of the journalists. Any attempt to harass mediapersons is against the democratic value, Pradhan said.

In series of tweets, the Union Minister slammed the State Police for questioning two journalists of a media house on the Kunduli gang-rape incident. "Instead of arresting the culprits involved in the crime, police is harassing journalists who have brought the truth to the fore," Pradhan said.

Accusing the investigating agency of trying to suppress the facts in Kunduli incident, he said the victim who later committed suicide had named the Director General of Police for allegedly offering bribe to her. Family member of the girl had also brought serious charges against the investigating officer for destroying her suicide note, he added.