Taking strong exception to the alleged inaction of Odisha police leading to escape of Mathieu Furic, a French national accused of being a paedophile, the National Human rights Commission (NHRC) has directed State Chief Secretary to submit a report on payment of interim relief to children.
The Commission had received a complaint in December 2013 from Akhand, a human rights activist, who had alleged that a complaint against the French national on unnatural sex with children was reported to Sea Beach Police Station, Puri.
However, alleged delay in police action led to the escape of the accused. Hence the victim children could not be compensated or rehabilitated, Mr. Akhand pointed out.
The Commission said that though the incident was reported to the police on November 26, 2013, yet the FIR was registered only on December 2.
“The accused had fled from the city on November 26 and left India on December 2. The allegation of the complainant against the police for negligence and inaction appears to have some merit as there is delay of one week in registration of FIR after receiving information of crime at police station,” observed the Commission.
The NHRC expressed its dissatisfaction that the Commission was not informed about the action taken against Pravesh Chandra Sahoo, then Inspector in-charge of Sea Beach police station, who delayed registering the case.
“The Commission has taken a serious note of such human rights violations in the matter. Notice be issued to the Chief Secretary to show cause within four weeks, why interim relief of monetary compensation of Rs.10,000 shall not be granted to each of the four victim children, as per Section 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993,” the NHRC order said.
