Jalandhar : The Punjab State Child Rights Protection Commission (PSCRPC) has written to the director general of police (DGP) seeking the registration of an FIR against a DSP-level officer posted in the Phillaur sub-division for alleged negligence in taking timely action against a station house officer (SHO) accused in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
In a letter dated November 6, which became public on Wednesday, commission chairperson Kanwardeep Singh said the communication was confidential and addressed to senior police officials after “gross negligence” on the part of DSP Sarwan Singh Bal came to light during an investigation against former Phillaur SHO Bhushan Kumar.
“Bhushan Kumar was already booked under the POCSO Act and sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for alleged inappropriate behaviour and making sexual advances towards the mother of a minor rape victim. Despite the registration of the case, the accused SHO has not been arrested. Moreover, the concerned DSP failed to appear before the Commission on October 31,” the letter stated.
Kanwardeep added that the DSP was equally responsible for delaying action against the accused SHO, thereby delaying justice to the victim’s family.
The case stems from a complaint filed on October 5, when the family of a 14-year-old girl approached Phillaur police alleging that an 18-year-old neighbour had sexually assaulted the minor on the intervening night of August 23 and 24.
{{/usCountry}}The case stems from a complaint filed on October 5, when the family of a 14-year-old girl approached Phillaur police alleging that an 18-year-old neighbour had sexually assaulted the minor on the intervening night of August 23 and 24.
{{/usCountry}}Bhushan was booked under Section 74(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures), Section 67(d) of the Punjab Police Act (sexual harassment in the course of duty), and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and POCSO Act at the Phillaur police station.
The Jalandhar rural police have set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case. Bhushan was earlier transferred and suspended after audio and video clips surfaced on social media, purportedly showing him making inappropriate advances towards the rape victim’s mother and another woman. In one of the clips, he was allegedly heard pressuring the victim’s mother to meet him alone.
HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clips.