The Orissa High Court on Friday set aside an order of a local court in taking cognisance of a criminal case against self-styled godman Sarathi Baba alias Santosh Raul and two others.
The High Court also directed a designated session court here to remit back the case to the magisterial court seeking a fresh charge sheet from the prosecution.
The case pertains to an allegation made by a woman medico, who had complained before the police that she was apprehending threat to her life from Sarathi Baba and two women — namely Manju and Mili.
Basing on the complaint, the State crime branch in August last year had registered a case against the trio under sections 384, 211, 506, 508, 120-B of IPC and section 3 (2) (v) of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Following the charge sheet submitted in January this year, the SDJM court here had taken cognisance of it. Since the SDJM court was not authorised to hold trial in the offence committed under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the case was committed to a designated session court here for holding trial.
While the matter remained thus, Manju, one of the accused, approached the Orissa High Court in a criminal revision petition challenging the cognisance order of the magisterial court. The HC in February this year had stayed the trial in the lower court and after hearing the matter on the day, set aside the cognisance order of the magisterial court.
