NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Rediff Shopping

Shop & gift from thousands of products!   Books     Music       Apparel   Jewellery   Flowers   More..      Safe Shopping

J B Patnaik interrogated in Anjana Mishra rape case

M I Khan in Bhubaneswar

The Central Bureau of Investigation recently questioned former chief minister and state Congress president J B Patnaik in connection with the Anjana Mishra rape case.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik confirmed this in the state assembly yesterday while replying to a question by ruling Biju Janata Dal MLA Narendra Pradhan and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Balgopal Mishra.

J B Patnaik was not available for comment as he had left for New Delhi to attend the All India Congress Committee's extended working committee meeting. When rediff.com contacted his residence, Congress workers said they were unaware of the interrogation.

Mishra, the estranged wife of an Indian Forest Service officer, has been fighting a lonely battle for the last three years against former advocate general of Orissa, Indrajit Ray, who allegedly attempted to rape her on July 11, 1997 at his official residence in Cuttack.

She surprised everyone by accusing J B Patnaik, the then chief minister, of delaying action against Ray.

Mishra claimed she was gangraped last year, allegedly by Ray's men on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

Early this year CBI designated court sentenced Ray to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under section 376 and 511(rape and attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment) in the molestation case

She said she was not satisfied with the CBI's handling of the gangrape case. "I am dissatisfied with the CBI. They are delaying the case by not framing charges against Patnaik," she said.

She said she was ready to go to any extent to get justice. "I will move the National Human Rights Commission and the Supreme Court because the CBI is making slow progress," she said.

Mishra is sure that J B Patnaik is part of the conspiracy. "There is little doubt about it and I will prove it soon," she said

Mishra said in her First Information Report that two of her molesters had repeatedly mentioned Patnaik's and Ray's names. The case has provided fodder to Patnaik's detractors within Congress and outside to create trouble for him.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report