Chandigarh police goofs up, reveals name of diplomat who was molested

Normally, in cases filed by women and children, the identities are not revealed. Even though the Chandigarh police uploads such cases on its website, these are classified as sensitive and not accessible to the general public. The diplomat had been molested on October 6 on way to the tennis court in Sector 10

Call it an oversight or sheer callousness, Chandigarh police ended up revealing the identity of the senior British diplomat, who had filed a molestation case on Wednesday. A day after her complaint, UT police uploaded the FIR on the website, revealing her name, phone number, address etc.

The FIR was uploaded on the website of the Chandigarh police and was accessible to the general public even though in cases involving women and children, police normally withhold identity. (HT Photo)

Normally, in cases filed by women and children, the identities are not revealed. Even though the UT police uploads such cases on its website, these are classified as sensitive and not accessible to the general public. Even in routine crime cases, where no sexual assault is involved but the complainant is a woman, Chandigarh police withholds the name.

But in this case, the FIR was uploaded as a routine FIR thus making it available to any person who logs on to the website.

When contacted, superintendent of police Ketan Bansal said, “The FIR should not have been uploaded on the website, I will get it checked.”

The 60-year-old diplomat was allegedly molested near Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) in Sector 10 on Wednesday morning while she was on her way to play tennis. The envoy alleged that she had crossed Jan Marg and was at the roundabout near hotel Mount View when an unidentified man arrived on his motorbike and molested her. Her complaint said, “I was walking past the residential houses when a motorcycle came up behind me. The rider hit me hard with his hand or something on my back. I shouted at him and ran after him but he sped away.”

On the basis of her complaint, a case under Section 354 (sexual harassment) and 354 A (assault or use of criminal force on any woman or abet such act with the intention of disrobing) of Indian Penal Code was registered at Sector 3 police station.

Police yet to arrest accused

Even a day after, the police have failed to arrest the accused who had touched her inappropriately. Police are scanning closed circuit television cameras in the area to trace the number of the motorcycle which they still have not been able to find. Police are even scanning the dump data of mobile phones active in the area at the time, but so far, they haven’t got any clues.