Controversial police official Utpal Bora, the former officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhula Police Station in Assam's Darrang district was dismissed from service on Wednesday following a department proceeding against him over the unnatural death of a minor girl in 2022.
Assam director general of police, Gyanendra Pratap Singh informed via X that sub-inspector (unarmed branch) Utpal Bora had been dismissed from duty "for acts done during posting at Dhula Police Station of Darrang DEF".
"A Departmental Proceeding No. 01/2023 of Darrang DEF was initiated against SI(UB) Utpal Bora, the then SI(UB) of Darrang DEF for acts done during posting at Dhula Police Station of Darrang DEF. On the basis of the - 1.Available evidentiary records & 2.Statements of prosecution witnesses and facts, and in consideration of all facts, for the act of gross misconduct committed by the charged officer, the charged officer SI Utpal Bora is hereby awarded the penalty of "DISMISSAL FROM SERVICE" per rules," wrote GP Singh on X.
The matter pertains to the unnatural death of a 13-year-old girl at the residence of Krishna Kamal Baruah in Darrang’s Dhula on June 11, 2022.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had in August that year, ordered the immediate suspension of Rajmohan Ray, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Darrang district, Additional SP Rupam Phukan, and OC of Dhula Police Station, Utpal Bora over allegations of mishandling the case.
As the investigation into the matter proceeded, three doctors, Dr. Arun Ch. Deka, Dr. Ajanta Bordoloi and Dr. Anupam Sharma of the Mangaldoi Civil Hospital were arrested for framing the death of the minor girl as suicide..
The probe that was conducted revealed that there were several commissions and omissions committed by the three doctors while conducting the first post-mortem over the dead body.
However, during the second post-mortem done by high-level medical teams of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), AIIMS and NEIGRIHMS, it was proved that the girl was molested and murdered and not suicide.
Later on, the Crime Investigation Department (CID), who got the case, summoned the Executive Magistrate of the Dalgaon Revenue Circle, Ashirbad Hazarika in connection with the matter. He was granted bail by the Gauhati High Court in November.
Last year in February, the CID filed supplementary charge sheet in the case. In March, Utpal Bora and his wife were arrested again.
Meanwhile, former SP of Darrang, Raj Mohan Ray, another accused in the case, was relieved from his duties as part of Assam Police's stringent stance against misconduct within the force, GP Singh informed in April this year.
This action, taken in accordance with the zero-tolerance policy towards malpractices within the force, also entails a standard disqualification from future employment, a post on X by the Assam DGP said.
