Absconding rapist Bittihotra Mohanty’s sensational six-year-long escapade virtually unravelled on Saturday after his father and former Odisha Director-General of Police B.B. Mohanty admitted here to a Kerala Police team that ‘Raghav Rajan’ was indeed his son.
Bittihotra, who had jumped parole in December 2006 while serving out a seven-year term for the rape of a German visitor in Alwar in Rajasthan that year, was arrested on March 9 in Kannur, where he was with a public sector bank as a probationary officer with a fake identity. He has since been suspended. The arrest came about following an anonymous tip-off received by the bank authorities.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Police gave a clean chit to the ex-DGP by stating that he had no role in faking academic certificates in the name of Raghav Rajan, which were used by the fugitive to join an MBA course in a Kerala college and later to join the State Bank of Travancore two years ago.
Mr. Mohanty “identified his son after seeing the photographs we showed him,” a member of the police team said after interrogating the ex-DGP. “We could not find any role of his father in preparing the forged certificates,” he added. The interrogation lasted nearly four hours.
The officer emphatically said “yes” when reporters asked him whether Mr. Mohanty was innocent in his son’s actions of creating fake academic certificates in the name of Raghav Rajan. The officer, however, refused to divulge details of the basis on which they were giving a clean chit to the former Indian Police Service officer.
Replying to a question, the leader of the Kerala Police team, Josi Joseph, ruled out booking the retired IPS officer in the impersonation and forgery cases against his son.
The Kerala team visited three educational institutions in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar on Friday and after a process of verification confirmed that the academic certificates in the possession of the arrested youth were fake.
The authorities of the private university, college and school informed the police team that they never had any student by name Raghav Rajan. Bittihotra had superimposed the name on the certificates, the police said.
Summoned by the visiting police team, Mr.Mohanty came to the office of the Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police to face interrogation. He later told waiting mediapersons that he had all along sought to uphold the law and was cooperating with the police.
He did not divulge details of the interrogation. “I cannot say anything to you as the investigation is on. Last time I spoke to you, I had to face a lot of questions from the court,” he said, asking reporters politely with folded hands not to ask him anything more.
The Kerala police team arrived here and met DGP Prakash Mishra at the police headquarters and reportedly apprised him while seeking the help of the Odisha police. Then they reached the DCP’s office, where Mr. Mohanty turned up after five minutes on a two-wheeler by himself.
Meanwhile, a police team that had taken Bittihotra to Alwar and Jaipur for investigations there, is on its way back by train. They are expected to reach Kerala on Sunday.
Keywords: German woman rape case, Biti Mohanty, Raghav Rajan, Kerala police, B.B. Mohanty
It is by now well established and reported that the aged "Uncle and
Aunt" who regularly visited this 'Rajan" at Puttaparthi and Kerala
were none other than Bitti's father and mother. If so, how can the
police give a clean chit to the father already, when he knew that
Rajan was indeed his son Bitti, and by visiting him frequently,
abetted a crime of impersonation besides bail jumping,when he himself
had stood surety, even if he may not have helped him create forged
documents. But he was well aware of the false identity and
deliberately allowed everyone to believe that he and his wife were
Rajan's uncle and aunt, when they were actually his parents. One may
sympathise with the retired DGP, especially as he is known to be an
honest and devoted police officer, but he too is guilty of several
offences.
Impossible to believe that influential Police chief father HAD NO ROLE
in helping son getting false identity - he must have done it hidden
behind the scene using his contacts for sure; Kerala police refusing to
divulge details shows they are trying to protect their cadre ! Most
unfair and unjust; it must be given to other public forum personnel
known for integrity to establish his so called "innocence" ! Will Govt
act; till such time he is FULLY CLEARED, his pension must be withheld !
In India most of the parents have failed to build up high quality conduct and character in their siblings due to corrupt mind and gluttony for money. Satkarmas alone can reap good progeny.
The elder Mohanty may not be guilty of assisting his son in fabricating forged academic certificates But it cannot be gainsaid that he didn't come forward to identify his escaped convict son whose pictures were adorning every newspaper till the police showed his son's photograph to him.That he didn't come forward earlier also makes him suspect in abetting his son's jumping parole and escaping.It is very likely he brought to bear influence
to secure parole for his son.Normally no prisoner convicted of a serious offence like rape of a foreign woman would be granted parole and allowed to go without full accompanying security.Would the Delhi Rapists be granted parole after they are convicted?
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