Cops pulled up over shoddy rape probe

A city court pulled up police officials for lack of sensitivity and diligence in conducting a probe involving the alleged gang rape of a minor girl.

A city court pulled up police officials for lack of sensitivity and diligence in conducting a probe involving the alleged gang rape of a minor girl.

HT Image

While acquitting the four men accused of gang raping the minor girl, the Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Illa Rawat recommended action against the police officials saying, "The present case relates to the gang rape of a child victim and more sensitivity and diligence was expected of the investigating officers."

The incident dates to March 1, 2009, when the victim was alone at her home. All the four accused entered her room in an inebriated condition and allegedly raped her.

As per the prosecution, the four had threatened the victim that they would kill her if she reported the incident to the police or to her relatives.

The court acquitted Delhi residents Kapil Sharma, Jai Prakash, Bablu and Vikrant, giving them the benefit of doubt as the victim failed to identify them.

Noting that the police failed to trace the victim's brother and sister, to depose as prosecution witnesses, the court said, "Even the elder brother and sister of the victim were not traceable. The victim herself was produced to depose before the court but only to turn hostile. No serious efforts were made to trace out the other material witness."

The court pulled up the investigating officers in the case for not involving the victim in the investigative process right from the initial stage.

"It is seen that the role of investigating officer (IO) and the prosecuting agency in protecting the witness has been sadly lacking. The IO apparently lost track of the victim at the initial stage of investigations itself. No attempt was made to join victim in investigations of the case," it added.