Padmanava Hota Vs State of Odisha — Orissa HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Padmanava Hota Vs State of Odisha — Orissa HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No direction for transfer of investigation to the Crime Branch or an independent agency was issued; the CRLMP was disposed of with liberty to the Petitioner to avail alternate remedy and with liberty to the I.O./I.I.C. to act against Opposite Party No.8 if found not cooperating.

Issue for consideration

Whether the investigation of Jeypore Town P.S. Case No. 346 of 2025 should be handed over to the State Crime Branch or any independent investigating agency for fair, speedy and proper investigation.

Court's answer

Recording the I.I.C.'s submission that verification will be conducted immediately upon receipt of the materials from the Petitioner, the Court disposed of the CRLMP with the observation that if, during investigation, the accused – Opposite Party No.8 is found not to be cooperating, it is open to the I.O./I.I.C. to take appropriate steps against him.

Ratio / Principle

If it is found during investigation that the accused – Opposite Party No.8 is not cooperating, it is open to the I.O./I.I.C. to take appropriate steps against him.

Key takeaways

Liberty granted to the Petitioner to avail of alternate remedy if he is aggrieved by the investigation or if it is found that Opposite Party No.8 is not cooperating with the investigation.ratio¶27

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Orissa High Court (Cuttack) — CRLMP No. 1639 of 2025 — decided 18.02.2026 by Savitri Ratho, J. Petitioner sought a direction to hand over investigation of Jeypore Town P.S. Case No. 346 of 2025 to the State Crime Branch or any independent investigating agency for fair, speedy and proper investigation. The I.I.C., Jeypore Town Police Station (through instructions dated 17.02.2026 produced by the Additional Standing Counsel) reported: requisition submitted to the Google Platform on 28.09.2025; notice issued on 16.01.2026 to Opposite Party No.8 – Sribatsa Dhal not to commit similar offences or post derogatory/objectionable content, which he received and assured cooperation; fresh allegation that on 29.01.2026 he again posted derogatory content on Facebook and You Tube channel, whereupon the I.I.C. sought specific evidence (URL links, screenshots, digital particulars) from the Petitioner, who undertook to furnish particulars within one week. Counsel for Opposite Party No.8 noted a pending ABLAPL. The Court disposed of the CRLMP observing that verification would be conducted immediately upon receipt of materials, that it would be open to the I.O./I.I.C. to take appropriate steps against the accused – Opposite Party No.8 if found not cooperating, and granted the Petitioner liberty to avail alternate remedy. Urgent certified copy ordered on proper application.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK

CRLMP No. 1639 of 2025

Padmanava Hota …. Petitioner

Mr. Bijaya Kumar Ragada, Advocate

-versus-

1. State of Odisha, Represented through its Secretary, Home Department, Bhubaneswar 2. The Director General of Police, Cuttack 3. Collector & District Magistrate, Koraput 4. Superintendent of Police, Koraput 5. SDPO, Jeypore Town, Koraput 6. Inspector-in-Charge, Jeypore Town 7. Sri Ullash Chandra (I.O) 8. Sri Sribatsa Dhal …. Opp. Parties

Mr. Saroj Kumar Rout, Additional Standing Counsel

CORAM:

HON’BLE MISS JUSTICE SAVITRI RATHO ORDER

Order No.

18.02.2026

(Through hybrid Mode)

This CRLMP has been filed for a direction the Opposite

Parties to handover the investigation of Jeypore Town P.S. Case No. 346 of 2025 to the State Crime Branch or any independent investigating agency for fair, speedy and proper investigation.

Mr. Saroj Kumar Rout, learned Additional Standing

Counsel produces the instructions dated 17.02.2026 of the I.I.C.,

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Jeypore Town Police Station where it is stated that on 28.09.2025 requisition has been submitted to the Google Platform through official communication channel. On 16.01.2026, notice was issued to Opposite Party No.8 – Sribatsa Dhal not to commit similar type of offence and not to post any derogatory or objectionable content and he received the notice and assured to cooperate with the investigation and it is also stated that the allegations of the Petitioner on 29.01.2026, the Opposite Party

No.8 again posted derogatory content on Facebook and You Tube channel and he asked to produce specific evidence, including URL links, screenshots and relevant digital particulars, so that necessary lawful action could be taken and the Petitioner assured to submit the same and verification will be conducted upon receipt of such materials.

Mr. Bijaya Kumar Ragada, learned counsel for the Petitioner submits that the Petitioner shall submit the necessary particulars, if not already submitted in the meanwhile, within one week from today.

Mr. S. Mohapatra, learned counsel for the Opposite Party No.8 submits that the ABLAPL filed on behalf of Opposite Party

No.8 is still pending in this Court.

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As the I.I.C. has submitted that verification will be

conducted immediately upon receipt of materials by the Petitioner, the CRLMP is disposed of with the observation that if it is found during investigation that the accused – Opposite Party No.8 is not cooperating with the investigation, it is open to the I.O/I.I.C., to take appropriate steps against him.

Liberty is also granted to the Petitioner to avail of alternate

remedy in case he is aggrieved by the investigation or if it is found that the Opposite Party No.8 is not cooperating with the investigation.

Urgent certified copy of this order be granted on proper application.

(Savitri Ratho) Judge

Sukanta

Signature Not Verified

Digitally Signed Signed by: SUKANTA KUMAR BEHERA Designation: Senior Stenographer Reason: Authentication Location: Orissa High Court, Cuttack Date: 19-Feb-2026 12:50:53

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