Associate of news portal editor detained for defaming Dutee Chand

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate police has detained an associate of the editor of a local news portal for allegedly defaming ace sprinter Dutee Chand by publishing defamatory and obscene contents.

The associate has been identified as Smruti Ranjan Behera, reporter of web channel.

Yesterday, Mahila Police station has also detained the editor, Sudhansu Rout following a complaint filed by Dutee.

Dutee has made serious allegations ranging from threats, defamation, sexual harassment insulting modesty and others against Rout. A case has been registered under Sections 292 (2), 354, 385, 506, 509 and 120-B IPC along with Section 6 of indecent representation of women (prohibition) act, 1986, informs deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Bhubaneswar, Umashankar Das.

The Mahila PS officials have also searched the news portal office and seized computers along with other elements being used for publishing news, the DCP said, adding, the police investigation on this case still going on.

Sprinter Dutee had lodged complaint against two journalists Rout and his reporter Smruti Ranjan Behera, and a social activist Pradeep Pradhan alleging that they had published objectionable content against her prior to the Tokyo Olympics, which had an adverse impact on her performance. She had also filed a Rs 5 crore defamation case in civil court in Bhubaneswar in this regard.