Kandhamal riots probe in limbo

PHULBANI: The demise of retired Justice Sarat Chandra Mohapatra, the one-man judicial commission inquiring into the killing of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and the communal riots in Kandhamal in 2008, has raised questions on the progress of the probe. Though the State Government, in consonance with provisions of the Commission of Inquiry Act, could appoint a new judge to carry forward the commission’s work to its logical end, people fear that it may turn out to be another long wait for justice.  The commission was to examine 40 more witnesses from April 26 to 29 at Phulbani, but due to Mohapatra’s ill health the sitting was cancelled. His planned visit to Koraput and Gajapati districts to gather more information too could not take place due to his demise, said Special Public Prosecutor Bijaya Krushna Pattnaik, who is assisting the commission.  Will the new judge, to be appointed, pick up from where Mohapatra left off? A question only the government can answer.The one-man commission was appointed on  September 3, 2008 after which Justice Mohapatra visited the riots-hit places and interacted with the people. Before beginning his inquiry, he preferred to get well acquainted with the history of Kandhamal, said Pattnaik.From March 2009 the commission started examining the witnesses prior to which affidavits were invited from people. More than 500 affidavits were received by the commission from across the State. Of them around 300 were rejected by the commission after due scrutiny by the panel of lawyers appointed by the Commission, since the affidavits were of repetitive nature, said Pattnaik. It was only in July 2009 that an interim report was submitted by the commission.At the beginning of the inquiry, 65 government officials were examined as witnesses, including DGP MM Praharaj, ex-DGP G Nanda, senior IAS officers MS Padhy, Suresh Mohapatra, Arabinda Behera and many more. Another 101 witnesses, including  BJP leaders Biswabhusan Harichandan and Manmohan Samal were examined.As part of the probe, Mohapatra visited Balliguda, Jalespeta Ashram, G. Udaygiri, Tikabali and Phulbani more than 10 times. He also went to Boudh, Bargarh, Balangir and Angul, the birthplace of Swamiji, and had planned a visit to Koraput and Gajapati districts, said Pattnaik.