By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 13, 2015 : Coming under pressure from opposition parties, civil society and lawyers of the state, the Naveen Patnaik government on Thursday suspended former Kendrapara SP Satish Gajbhiye for his alleged violation of code of conduct for all India services and other issues. 

The High Court Bar Association had served an ultimatum on Wednesday arning that it would boycott the Independence Day celebrations if the government did not act against Gajbhiye by Friday.

Similarly, the opposition Congress had threatened to gherao the Raj Bhavan on August 17 if action was not taken against the IPS officer by Friday while the BJP had announced that it would gherao the DGP’s office in Cuttack on the same day.

Gajbhiye has been accused of leading the brutal charge against people demonstrating in Kendarapra demanding action against controversial self-styled godman Santosh Raula alias Srimad Sarathi alias Sarathi Baba on August 7 and for illegal acquisition and encroachment of about 40 acres of land in Gop block in Puri district.

Following hue and cry over excessive poice action on demonstrators, the Odisha government had ordered a probe by of central range IG RP Koche, who has submitted his report to the government. The report is understood to have found Gajbhiye guilty on three counts – using excessive force against the demonstrators, inappropriate behaviour with the public and violation of the code of conduct for all India services, sources said.

The state government had shunted him out to the police headquarters as officer without duty at the height of the disturbances in Kendrapara on August 7.

A defiant Gajbhiye, however, had defended his action in Kendrapara saying there was no ground to arrest Sarathi Baba in a Facebook post last Saturday. He however withdrew the post.

But he defiant IPS officer posted videos showing the mob attacking the police in his bid to justify his action.

Civil society organisations too had submitted a memorandum to the Governor asking for action against the controversial officer.