FM Autonomous College Student Death: Odisha Crime Branch Files 349-Page Chargesheet
The chargesheet, submitted before the SDJM Court in Balasore, is based on testimonies from 120 witnesses and weeks of investigation led by a three-member Crime Branch team.
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Crime Branch on Tuesday filed a 349-page chargesheet in the sensational Balasore FM College student self-immolation case, naming four accused currently lodged in judicial custody.
The chargesheet, submitted before the SDJM Court in Balasore, is based on testimonies from 120 witnesses and weeks of investigation led by a three-member Crime Branch team.
Among those charged are Sameer Kumar Sahoo, head of department at FM College, and former principal Dillip Ghosh, both of whom were arrested earlier. A current student and a former student of the college have also been named as co-accused.
The case dates back to June 12, when a young FM College student attempted self-immolation on campus, allegedly after sustained harassment and institutional inaction. She succumbed to her injuries days later at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, sparking outrage across Odisha and raising questions over student safety and accountability in higher education institutions.
Crime Branch Director General Vinaytosh Mishra had earlier said that investigators had gathered substantial digital evidence and were examining shifting testimonies.
“Our responsibility is to identify all those directly or indirectly linked to the incident,” Mishra had stated in July.
The probe revealed that the victim had lodged a written complaint with the college authorities, but an internal inquiry had found no fault with the accused. The Crime Branch said this lapse would be examined in court.
According to legal experts, the chargesheet marks a crucial step toward trial in a case that has gripped public attention and intensified scrutiny of institutional responses to allegations of harassment.
“The court will now examine if there had been negligence on the part of college authorities to address the grievance of the girl in time. If there has been deliberate delay in responding to her grievance, the court will take it seriously and accordingly adjudicate the case,” said Tapan Kumar Swain, a lawyer.