Odisha Prisons DGP Booked After Former Choudwar Jailor Alleges Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police have registered a criminal case against Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services Sushant Kumar Nath following allegations of sexual harassment, criminal intimidation, and administrative retaliation made by former Choudwar Circle Jailor Santoshini Dash.
The case was registered at Choudwar Police Station based on a written complaint filed by Dash.
According to police records, the case has been registered under Sections 75(2), 351(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the investigation has been entrusted to Inspector Bikash Sethi.
In her complaint, Dash alleged that the sequence of events began after a prison inspection in 2025.
She claimed that Kuldeep Ratha, introduced to her as an associate of the DGP, obtained her mobile number and later sent messages containing suggestive emojis.
She further alleged that Ratha invited her to private meetings at hotels and restaurants, stating that the DGP wished to meet her alone.
Dash said she declined the invitations and insisted that any meeting with a superior officer should take place in an official setting.
The former jailor has also alleged that adverse administrative actions followed her refusal.
These reportedly included her suspension, stoppage of salary and subsistence allowance, and initiation of multiple departmental proceedings.
She further claimed that remarks made during official meetings suggested a connection between the alleged actions and her refusal to attend private meetings.
Dash’s complaint also refers to an earlier FIR related to alleged forgery of official documents and manipulation of prison records.
She alleged that she was pressured to withdraw the FIR and faced threats when she refused to do so.
Police have begun an investigation into the allegations. The charges are currently under investigation, and no findings have yet been established by the authorities.
