Rape victim’s self-immolation: Dy SP terminated from service

The woman and her male friend, who was the key witness in the rape case, had immolated themselves in front of the Supreme Court in Delhi on August 16 this year

Suspended deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Amresh Singh Baghel, who was arrested on September 30 in connection with the self-immolation by a woman who had accused BSP MP from Ghosi Atul Rai of raping her two years ago, was terminated from service on Monday, said home department officials on Tuesday.

The woman and her male friend, who was the key witness in the rape case, had immolated themselves in front of the Supreme Court in Delhi on August 16 this year (For Representation)

The woman and her male friend, who was the key witness in the rape case, had immolated themselves in front of the Supreme Court in New Delhi on August 16 this year and the duo later succumbed to burns.

The officials said Baghel was found guilty in the departmental enquiry of making inappropriate comments in the enquiry report in a separate complaint related to the same case and he was terminated after taking legal opinion in the matter.

A home department official privy to the development said the state government order with consent of the governor dated October 18, 2021 stated that the DSP, who was posted as circle officer of Bhelupur, Varanasi, in 2020, had made inappropriate comments in his report dated August 8, 2020.

He said the CO stated in his report that it seemed that the woman along with her two associates had framed the MP in a fake case. “This comment was considered inappropriate in the case related to crime against woman when the MP is chargesheeted in the case and the matter is pending at the MP/MLA court of Prayagraj,” he stated.

He said the DGP had suspended the CO on December 30, 2020 after finding his comment inappropriate and departmental enquiry was contemplated against him.

Another official said the CO was named by the woman in the facebook live video before she set herself on fire. Minutes before the self-immolation, the victim and the key witness in a facebook live feed had accused certain police officers of UP police of supporting the BSP MP, who is currently in jail, and harassing them.

On September 30, the Varanasi police had arrested the CO after registering a fresh FIR against him on various charges, including abetment of suicide, at Lanka police station.