Odisha: Policeman arrested for forging judge's signature

A police officer was arrestedin Odisha's Ganjam district for allegedly forging amagistrate's signature to secure the release of a man fromjail on bail, officials said on Sunday.

Surya Narayan Behera, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI)of police, was arrested on Friday, they said.

He was posted at a court in Buguda, inspector in-charge Chitta Ranjan Behera said.

A case under IPC section 466 (forgery of record ofcourt) was registered against him after an FIR was filed byJudicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Sonali Aparajita onWednesday, police said.

Behera allegedly forged the signature of themagistrate in a court order of the bail and submitted it tothe jail superintendent to release a man, they said.

Babula Behera of Karchulli was arrested on the chargeof attempt to murder his nephew, police said.

He had filed a bail petition before the AdditionalDistrict Judge of Bhanjanagar for his daughter's marriage. Thebail order was passed on February 12 and sent to Buguda JMFCcourt, they said.

The Judicial Magistrate of Buguda was on leave on thatday and the JMFC of Aska was in charge.

Instead of presenting the court document before themagistrate, the accused ASI allegedly forged the signature ofthe judicial magistrate on the bail order and the accused wasreleased, police said.