The Orissa High Court has issued a stern warning that the interim protection granted to Sujit Kumar Raula, senior superintendent of Choudwar Circle Jail, may be revoked if he fails to cooperate with an ongoing investigation into alleged manipulation of prison records following the escape of two murder accused individuals.
Court Hearing on Anticipatory Bail Plea
Hearing Raula's anticipatory bail plea on May 4, Justice R.K. Pattanaik directed the petitioner to hand over all documents sought by the investigating officer without any default. The court was informed that despite the ongoing probe, the petitioner was allegedly not extending cooperation and had failed to supply relevant papers required for the investigation.
Background of the Case
Raula had filed the anticipatory bail petition after former jailer Santoshini Dash lodged an FIR against him following the escape of two murder accused from Choudwar Circle Jail on October 2, 2025. Dash accused Raula of forging her signature to shift responsibility for the jailbreak. As an interim measure, the High Court had earlier directed that Raula shall not be taken into judicial custody in connection with the case.
Advocate Binoda Kumar Mishra, representing Dash, submitted that an inquiry conducted by the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, Cuttack Range, had allegedly detected manipulation in the in-out register maintained at the jail. According to the submission, the alleged tampering was carried out at the behest of the petitioner, leading to the false implication of the informant, who is now facing departmental proceedings.
Court's Observations and Directions
Justice Pattanaik noted that the case diary, earlier sought by the court through its March 30 order, had been produced by the state. Taking the submissions on record, he directed the state to obtain further instructions regarding the progress and findings of the investigation and report back on the next date of hearing. The matter has been next posted to May 21.
Justice Pattanaik clarified that if no cooperation is received from the petitioner, as is alleged at present, the interim order dated March 23, 2026, shall stand vacated. This warning underscores the court's insistence on full cooperation with the investigation.
Allegations in the FIR
In her FIR, Dash alleged that Raula had remained absent without authorization and reported for duty only after the jailbreak. The complaint stated, "On October 1, 2, and 3, 2025, the official gate in-out register of Circle Jail, Cuttack, was deliberately tampered and manipulated so as to falsely depict the continuous presence of Raula within the jail premises during official duty hours."
Dash further alleged that following the escape of two undertrials, the senior superintendent forged her signature in the minute book on October 2, 2025, without her knowledge or consent to fabricate evidence, mislead authorities, and falsely implicate her while shielding himself from responsibility.
