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Judicial inquiry ordered into alleged rape of Anjana Mishra

The Orissa government today decided to hold a judicial inquiry by a sitting high court judge to probe into the alleged gang-rape of Anjana Mishra, near the Barang jungle on Saturday night, even as Mishra moved the Orissa high court, praying for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the incident.

Meanwhile, the High Court Bar Association has resolved not to attend the court for three days from today "as their lives were not safe" in view of the disturbed conditions and protests in the Bhubaneshwar over the case.

According to an official release, the government decision was taken in view of the serious allegations levelled by Mishra, an estranged wife of a senior forest officer, against the police and Chief Minister J B Patnaik, besides former state advocate general Indrajit Ray.

Accompanied by a dozen leaders of different voluntary women's organisations of the state, Mishra submitted her writ application to acting Chief Justice Sushanta Chatterjee in his chamber. The judge issued notices to the CBI, the state government and the Crime Branch, which is currently investigating the case.

The court fixed tomorrow for hearing of the writ petition.

In her ten-page petition, Anjana, who blamed the state government for its 'failure' to provide her security despite earlier orders of the high court, alleged that the state police could not be impartial in the investigation of the gang-rape case, ''particularly when Chief Minister J B Patnaik was holding the home portfolio''.

She also apprehended that by hurriedly entrusting the matter to the Crime Branch for investigation, the state government wanted to "hush up" the matter.

"There is definitely a conspiracy," she said. She urged that the matter be investigated into by the CBI, particularly when the incident had occurred soon after the order of stay of the CBI designated court's trial in her molestation case against Ray.

RELATED REPORTS:
One held for alleged rape of Anjana Mishra
Protests over alleged rape of Anjana Mishra rocks Orissa
Anjana Mishra allegedly gang-raped

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