Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Police has recommended disciplinary proceeding against a senior woman cop for gross negligence and dereliction of duty.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Central Range, has sent the recommendation to the Home Department to initiate disciplinary proceeding against Mamata Sahoo, the Additional SP of Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district.

Sahoo, an Odisha Police Service (OPS) officer, allegedly neglected her duty with regard to a POCSO case during her tenure as the DSP(IUCAW), Jajpur.

As per the allegations, the woman police officer had arrested an accused in the POCSO case in December, 2023 and produced him in a local court.

However, she did not file the charge sheet against the accused during the stipulated period of 120 days. The accused managed to secure bail from the court due to Sahoo’s failure to file the charge sheet during the stipulated period.

Sahoo, who was the investigating officer in the case, has been accused of showing gross negligence and dereliction of duty as envisaged under Rule 3 of Government Service Conduct Rule, 1959.

The Odisha Police has recommended disciplinary proceeding against Sahoo under Rule 15 of Odisha Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1962.

The woman police officer has been asked to submit her written statement to the Home Department within 30 days.

“If she fails to submit her written statement within the stipulated period, it will be presumed that she has no explanation to offer and action will be taken as deemed proper ex-prate,” said the Odisha Police in its letter to the Home Department.