BJD Demands CBI Inquiry into Alleged Rape of Minor Girl in Berhampur

Berhampur: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has urgently demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged rape of a minor girl in Berhampur.

A delegation of the BJD met the Inspector General of Police, Southern Range, Berhampur and expressed serious concerns over the accused’s political connections and potential attempts to influence the investigation.

The accused, Bhabani Sankar Das, who operates a clinic in Baidyanathpur, is reported to have sexually assaulted a minor girl employed at his establishment. The victim informed her family, leading to a First Information Report (FIR) being lodged at Baidyanathpur Police Station. However, concerns have arisen due to Das’s influential position as a functionary of an advisory committee under the Labour Department, Government of India, and his past and present roles within the BJP, including Berhampur City President and District President of the BJP Workers’ Front. He has photographs with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and is known to be close to two ministers, hails from the district, Mines and Transport Minister Bibhuti Jena and Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Minister Gokulanand Mallick.

The BJD expressed suspicions of potential exploitation of multiple girls over time and raised serious concerns about the clinic’s possible involvement in organized women trafficking and illicit organ trade. The party emphasized the need for an impartial and transparent investigation, urging the immediate transfer of the case to the CBI to ensure justice and public confidence, regardless of the accused’s position or affiliation.