Suspended SP of Darrang gets bail in Dhula rape and murder case

Guwahati, Dec 15: Raj Mohan Ray, the suspended Superintendent of Police of Darrang who was arrested in connection with a case related to rape and murder of a minor girl under Dhula Police Station, was today released on bail by the Gauhati High Court.

The Court, after hearing defence counsel BK Mahajan and public prosecutor M Phukan, allowed the accused to go on bail against a bail bond of Rs one lakh and two sureties of the like amount.

Representing the accused, Mahajan contended that Ray has been arrayed as accused only on the basis of the alleged recorded conversation between him and co-accused Utpal Bora (the then officer-in charge of Dhula Police Station) which was done without following the due process and as such does not have any legal sanctity.

The defence counsel also submitted that given the nature of the case, the accused ought to have been served a notice under Section 41 A CrPC, which, in the instant case, was not done.

On the other hand, the prosecution Suspended Darrang SP granted bail while opposing the bail petition, submitted that sufficient materials have been collected against the accused and the enquiry conducted reveals that the co-accused Utpal Bora demanded illegal gratification of Rs 5 lakh to dilute the case and manage the officials at upper level including Ray, the then SP, and also paid him Rs 3.5 lakh.

"The petitioner has already been suspended from his service and as such he shall not have any access to the official documents/records etc. The fact also remains that the chargesheet has already been laid and therefore the accused will not be in a position to influence other witnesses," the Courtopined in its order.

"Accordingly, considering the materials so far collected against the accused petitioner and considering the period of detention and also the stage of the investigation, the Court is of the view that the petitioner is entitled for the bail as prayed for," the order added.

Ray along with several other government servants including doctors were arrested for trying to shield the accused by misleading the investigation into the rape and murder case.