Arrested: Wife of ex-IAS to be produced before Ranchi court in maid-torture case

Following an uproar, the police nabbed Seema Patra on charges of torturing her domestic help. She is expected to be produced before the court later in the day after completing the remaining formalities. Seema is stated to be in her 60s and her husband is a retired IAS turned politician.

Ranchi: The police arrested Seema Patra, the wife of ex-IAS officer turned politician Maheshwar Patra, on Wednesday on charges of brutally tormenting her domestic maid, who was a tribal woman. The suspected BJP leader was absconding for a while before being arrested amid an uproar and criticism.

The investigating officials are completing the remaining formalities to produce Seema Patra, in her 60s, before the court later in the day. Only last Tuesday, a magistrate recorded the statement of the victim, who claimed that she was subjected to torture and also forced to clean the bathroom with her tongue.

Based on a complaint made by one Vivek Baski, an FIR was lodged under sections 323, 325, 346, and 347 of the IPC and provisions of the SC-ST act 1989. The atrocities sections made the case more serious. Hatia Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Raja Mitra investigated into the case.

Following the complaint, the maid, identified as Sunita, was rescued by the police from the politician's house in Ashok Nagar, Ranchi, on August 22. As she suffered numerous burns, the maid was sent to the RIMS hospital in Ranchi for proper medical care at that time. The maid's condition was found to be pathetic. She alleged that Patra used to lock her in a room in isolation. Food and water were also denied. Patra used to thrash and force the maid to clean washrooms by licking, police sources said.

Sunita was reportedly doing domestic work at Patra's house for the last eight years. During the medical examination of the victim, it was found that the victim's teeth were damaged due to punching in the face.

The maid sought help when she was not allowed to leave the house. Vivek Baski, a Personnel Department officer, learned of the atrocities committed against Sunita and he informed Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rahul Kumar Sinha. According to the complaint, Seema Patra’s son Ayushman who is admitted to RINPAS, a psychiatric hospital in Ranchi objected to the brutal behaviour against the maid, and to cover up the incident, Ayushman was sent to RINPAS, as a mental patient.