Congress, BJD Demand Action Against Odisha Guv's Son for 'Assaulting' Raj Bhavan Employee

Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJD and Congress in Odisha demanded action against Governor Raghubar Das's son Lalit Kumar over allegations that he along with five others assaulted a government officer at the Raj Bhavan in Puri.

Baikuntha Pradhan, an assistant section officer at the Raj Bhavan, on Friday alleged that he was assaulted by Kumar and his associates on July 7 while supervising President Droupadi Murmu's visit.

Amid outrage over the incident, Pradhan's wife Sayoj said she met the governor who promised her justice.

Protesting over the incident, the Youth Congress and NSUI demanded that an FIR be filed against Kumar.

"The governor's son, accompanied by his friends and personal security, assaulted an officer. Even after six days, no FIR has been registered," NSUI state president Yashir Nawaz said.

Senior Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded immediate action, denouncing what he perceived as political interference hindering Kumar's arrest.

State Congress in-charge Ajoy Kumar claimed that Kumar was a "serial offender".

"In 2017, he had beaten his bodyguard inside his house. He had also beaten up a woman of his family, but he was successful in hiding those incidents. Now, Lalit Kumar has beat up an official at the Raj Bhavan. He has defamed Odisha," Kumar said in Jamshedpur.

BJD's Pratap Keshari Deb urged Chief Minister Mohan Majhi to ensure justice.

"Pradhan may be a lower-rank employee, but this incident was far from minor. The behaviour of the governor's son towards a government official is condemnable and unfortunate," he said.

"The CM, who also the portfolios of Home and General Administration, has consistently emphasised justice for the poor and common people. However, questions are now being raised about the government's ability to deliver justice in this case, as no action has been taken," he added.

The officer's wife Sayoj alleged on Friday that Kumar targeted her husband as he was not happy with transportation arrangements.

"On the night of July 7, when Pradhan was in his office, Kumar and his associates forcibly took him to their room and assaulted him," she said.

"The governor's son was upset because my husband did not arrange a luxury vehicle to pick him up," she added.

In his complaint to the governor's principal secretary, Pradhan detailed the physical assaults.

"They slapped me, blew punches on my face, kicked every part of my body and twisted my left ankle. Kumar kept on saying that if they murder me, nobody can save me," he alleged.

The Odisha Secretariat Service Association also appealed to the CM for intervention.

Neither Kumar nor the governor's office has made any statement regarding the allegations.

Sayoj, however, on Saturday evening said the governor assured her of justice.

"We will wait for justice. His personal cook has been fired and action has been taken against him. Though his son has left, the governor told us that he will call him back and take appropriate action," she said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed.)