Orissa HC nominates retired dist judge to monitor Mamita Meher murder probe  

BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa High Court on Tuesday nominated ABS Naidu, a former district judge, to monitor the investigation into the sensational Mamita Meher murder case. On November 26, the Odisha Government had requested the HC to nominate a sitting or retired HC judge or a district and sessions judge to monitor the investigation of the murder case so that transparency is maintained in the sensitive case. Basing on the request, the HC nominated retired district judge Naidu. 

The HC order comes a day ahead of the winter session of the Assembly beginning Wednesday and could give the government a breather as both BJP and Congress have been persistent with their demand for a court-monitored SIT probe and dismissal of Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged links with the main accused Gobinda Sahu. 

On the day, however, the BJP reiterated its demand while Congress announced that it will file a PIL seeking a High Court-monitored SIT probe. Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Narasingha Mishra said the PIL will also pray to the High Court to revise its order nominating a retired district judge to monitor the case. “We stand by our demand for an HC monitored SIT probe into the incident,” he said.

When the government had constituted an SIT to probe into the Nayagarh minor murder, why is it adopting a different approach in Mamita Meher case, he wondered. “It shows the government is not serious in this matter,” he added. He said also that the decision to prevent the entry of the minister into the Assembly will be taken on the spot.