Governor’s Son Assaulting to ASO Issue Intensified: Odisha Secretariat Service Association Seeks Justice for Victim

Bhubaneswar: As the issue of Governor Raghubar Das’s son Lalit Kumar assaulting to an Assistant Section Officer has been intensified, Odisha Secretariat Service Association has sought justice for the victim.

The Association has approached Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi demanding justice to ASO Baikuntha Pradhan, who has been allegedly manhandled and physically assaulted by the Governor’s son in Puri.

“With due reverence, we are disappointed to bring this to your kind knowledge on the issue placed before the authorities of Governor House and the news published in different newspapers regarding the incident faced by one our member Shri Baikuntha Pradhan, Assistant Section Officer while rendering his official duty in the Governor House at Puri as reported is very unfortunate and agonizing for the Association”, a letter given by the Association to the Chief Minister reads.

“We are public servant under your administration in the State Secretariat. However, some of our Cadre members are working in the Governor’s Secretariat on deployment”.

“We, being the Government Servant work for the people under your administration. This Association always stands with the employees of the State Government those have faced any assault during official duty. But, the incident done by the son of the Highest Authority of this State is unfortunate and disgraceful”, the letter further reads.
Under these circumstances, the Secretariat Service Association requested the Chief Minister to intervene in the matter personally and give proper justice to the member concerned at the earliest.
Notably, Lalit Kumar, son of Governor Raghubar Das, along with five of his associates, allegedly attacked Baikuntha Pradhan, an officer on duty at the Odisha Secretariat Service, late in the night of 7th July 2024.

Pradhan has alleged that Lalit Kumar attacked him while on duty. The matter came to light after Pradhan lodged a written complaint with the Principal Secretary to the Governor.

Pradhan, Asst. Section Officer, Parliamentary Affairs Department, is currently working on deployment basis at Governor’s Household.