Retired Army Chief General VK Singh and former CBI Director M Nageswara Rao have clashed over the alleged torture and sexual assault of an Army officer’s fiancee at a police station in Odisha. The incident took place in Bhubaneswar on the night of September 15 and has sparked widespread outrage.

General VK Singh, in a social media post, described the treatment of the woman, the fiancee of an Army officer, as “shameful and horrendous.” General Singh condemned the handling of the situation by the Odisha Police and demanded immediate action against the officers involved.

“Everyone must listen to the daughter of a retired Army officer. What happened to her in Bharatpur police station in Odisha is shameful. The Odisha Chief Minister should take swift action against the police personnel and those shielding the criminals in uniform,” General Singh stated in his post.

According to the victim’s account, she was allegedly thrashed and sexually assaulted inside Bharatpur police station after she and her fiance attempted to file a complaint regarding a road rage incident. The Army officer was allegedly illegally detained by the police.

In a counter-response, former CBI Director M Nageswara Rao, an Odisha-cadre IPS officer, painted a different picture. Mr Rao disputed General Singh’s allegations and accused the Army officer and his fiancee of being drunk and behaving inappropriately.

“An Army officer and his fiancee consumed alcohol and drove through the city late at night. They were involved in a brawl with engineering students and later created a scene at Bharatpur police station. When asked to undergo a medical examination and blood test, they refused, which is a standard part of the investigation,” Mr Rao claimed. 

He further defended the police, stating that the Odisha Police, which manages more than 600 police stations, had no reason to misbehave with visitors, including Army personnel. Mr Rao urged General Singh to reconsider his stance, adding that it is improper to castigate the police for the actions of an individual Army officer.

“It is not appropriate for a former Chief of Army Staff and Central Minister to jump to conclusions and criticize the police for the alleged drunken misconduct of the Army officer and his fiancee. However, I would not question the Indian Army’s discipline based on one individual’s actions. I urge the Army to take appropriate action against this officer for conduct unbecoming of a soldier,” Mr Rao concluded.

In the midst of these allegations, videos showing the couple in a physical altercation with a group of people surfaced on social media. 
While the Army veterans have rallied around the officer and his fiancee, retired police officers, including Mr Rao, have defended the actions of the Odisha Police and have raised questions about the behaviour of the couple.

Several retired Army officers have taken to social media to criticise the Odisha Police, urging the Defence Ministry to intervene.

The Odisha government has responded by suspending five police personnel involved in the incident and ordering a judicial inquiry. The state’s crime branch is investigating the allegations, and the government has provided security to the Army officer and his fiancee in light of the case.

Following a meeting with Odisha’s Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the woman expressed relief and hope for justice, stating that she feared for her safety given the nature of the allegations. She also confirmed that both she and her fiance had accepted the government’s offer of personal security officers (PSOs) for their protection.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday distanced itself from its MP Kangana Ranaut’s fresh comment on the three farm laws that were at the core of the farmers’ protest in 2020. Speaking to reporters in her Lok Sabha constituency of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, the actor-politician said the laws – rolled back by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in November 2021 after massive agitations – “should be brought back… (and) farmers themselves should demand it”.

“I know this will be controversial… but I feel the farm laws that were repealed should be brought back. The farmers themselves should demand it. They are a pillar of strength for the nation’s development and I want to appeal to them – demand the laws back for your own good,” Kangana Ranaut said.

The BJP, however, said her comments do not represent the party’s views.

Party’s spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the remarks are Ms Ranaut’s “personal statement”.

“Kangana Ranaut is not authorised to make such a statement on behalf of the BJP and it doesn’t depict the BJP’s view on the farm bills,” Mr Bhatia said.

She then responded to Mr Bhatia’s statement and said, “My views on farm laws are personal and they don’t represent the party’s stand on those Bills.”

Absolutely, my views on Farmers Laws are personal and they don’t represent party’s stand on those Bills. Thanks. https://t.co/U4byptLYuc

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 24, 2024

Ms Ranaut, whose latest film, ‘Emergency‘, is fighting for a censor certificate, has already been reprimanded once by the BJP – last month – over earlier remarks on the farmers’ protests. The actor had said that a “Bangladesh-like situation” could have erupted in India during the farmers’ protests if strong measures had not been taken by the Centre.

In 2020, as the farmers’ protests were gathering steam, she allegedly misidentified a woman farmer from Punjab and called her Bilkis Bano.

That swipe resurfaced in June this year after Kangana Ranaut was slapped by a woman CISF officer.

Kangana Ranaut’s Farm Laws Remark Draws Congress, AAP’s Ire

Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacked Kangana Ranaut and vowed that “these black laws will (never be brought back now)… no matter how hard Modi and his MPs try”.

“More than 750 farmers were martyred… only then did the Modi government wake up and these black laws were withdrawn. Now BJP MPs are planning to bring them back… but Congress is with the farmers,” party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said.

AAP’s Balbir Singh also took a jibe at the actor.

“Just ask her what are the three farm laws. I can guarantee you she would not be able to answer. All she is doing is comedy. Please don’t take her seriously,” Mr Singh told reporters when asked about Ms Ranaut’s comments.

AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang also spoke to reporters and said that discussing the reinstating of the agricultural laws “is an insult to millions of farmers and the 750 martyred farmers in the country”.

He called on PM Modi to respond and urged him to take immediate action against Ms Ranaut if he “truly” stands with the farmers.

Ms Ranaut’s latest jab comes days before the Assembly election in Haryana, from where lakhs of farmers marched on Delhi and participated in multiple blockades against the city.

Donald Trump was told of “real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him”, his campaign says. 

​Donald Trump was told of “real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him”, his campaign says.