Bhubaneswar: An audio tape, which is supposedly a telephonic conversation between managing director of OTV Jagi Panda, wife of BJP leader Baijayant Panda, and the minor girl rape victim’s mother has gone viral on the social media, according to media reports.
In the conversation, the private channel’s MD was asking the mother to bring the minor girl to the office and then she would take action.
The development takes place a day after the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) directed the Commissionerate Police and Khordha Collector to take strong legal action against the managing director of the Bhubaneswar-based private news channel in connection with the alleged gangrape of a minor girl by some employees of the channel.
The victim’s mother, who was working as a receptionist in the channel, had earlier lodged a complaint with the OSCPCR.
According to the complaint, the girl was gangraped by several employees of the channel for around 15 days during the month of April-May.
The accused committed the offence after tying the hands and legs of the girl, the victim’s mother alleged.
They also recorded videos of the incident and threatened the victim to leak it, she further alleged.
The complainant further alleged that the accused had threatened the girl to kill her and her mother if the victim disclosed their name.
The victim’s mother said that though she reported the matter to the news channel MD, but no action was against the accused and suppressed the incident.
The MD also pressurised the complainant not to proceed further in the case, the victim’s mother alleged.
The OSCPCR noted that the MD has committed offences under Sections 19, 20, and 21 of the POCSO Act and other provisions of the IPC and would be prosecuted.
The Collector and Commissionate police have been directed to submit the investigation and action taken report before the commission within 48 hours.