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Hearing in tribal youth detention case concludes

Correspondent

High Court bench reserves its judgment

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday reserved its judgment after completing the hearing over sensational case pertaining to illegal detention of a tribal youth in jail custody for over eight years even as the youth accused of murder charges was exonerated by the High Court. The bench of Chief Justice A K Ganguly and Justice Indrajit Mohanty reserved their verdict after a marathon hearing of the PIL that was filed by a social activist and lawyer.

Petitioner’s advocate Prabir Kumar Das had urged the court to adequately compensate the victim, who has turned lunatic due to illegal confinement. The police arrested one Pratap Naik of Ghimuhani village under Puruna Katak police station in Boudh district in connection with a murder case in 1992.

The boy was 14-year-old when he was first sent to jail by the Phulbani district and session’s judge court. He was, however, acquitted

by the High Court in October 1994, but was released from jail only on January 22, 2003, after more than eight years of the HC order.

Though the HC had exonerated Naik of murder charges, a clerk at the lower court did not place the HC order before the Phulbani district judge for necessary actions to release the tribal youth. As a result, he was kept in illegal custody from January 17, 1995 to July 22, 2003;

the PIL said seeking a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the boy for illegal detention in jail.

Arguing the case, Mr Das on Wednesday told the bench that due to illegal detention for a long period, the boy was now suffering from severe mental ailment and was currently under treatment at a hospital. "The victim’s mental health had deteriorated due to long confinement. He is undergoing psychiatric treatment at VSS Medical College Hospital in Burla and is finding it very difficult to meet the hospital expenses", Mr Das said.

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