Spl court begins trial in cop 'assault' case against Cuttack MP

CUTTACK: Thirteen years after Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab allegedly assaulted a police officer at a function, trial in the case started in a special court, here on Friday.
The court of judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) Deepankar Bal, dealing with cases against MPs and MLAs, had framed the charges against Mahtab on March 21 under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.The judge had also issued summons to witnesses for recording of evidence, paving the way for the start of the trial.
Mahtab was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Cuttack in 1998. He had since retained the seat as a BJD candidate till 2019. This year he is seeking re-election from the seat on a BJP ticket. Mahtab had resigned from the BJD and joined the BJP a day after the charges were framed against him in the alleged assault case.
The trial began on Friday with sub-inspector Amitabh Mohapatra (now ACP) - both informant and victim - giving his deposition as the first witness for the prosecution.
Proceedings adjourned to April 30
After examination by the prosecution, Amitabh was also cross-examined by Mahtab's counsel Saura Chandra Mohapatra. "The cross examination remained incomplete and proceedings were adjourned till April 30," assistant public prosecutor Afroz Ahmed told TOI.
According to the case records, charges were framed on the basis of a chargesheet submitted after investigation on a complaint lodged by Amitabh that Mahtab had assaulted him during a function on January 23, 2011 to celebrate Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary in Cuttack. The incident took place just after CM Naveen Patnaik arrived at the Netaji Birthplace Museum complex. Mahtab followed the CM into the complex. However, when his supporters were not allowed by cops, he returned to the gate and allegedly assaulted Amitabh, who was on duty. Amitabh had lodged a complaint with Dargha Bazar PS.