Madras HC orders CBI probe into sexual assault of minor
The Madras High Court ordered a CBI probe into sexual assault claims involving a 10-year-old girl amid police misconduct allegations in Chennai.
The Madras high court on Tuesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the sexual assault allegations of a 10-year-old girl as well as her mother’s accusations that she was hit by an inspector inside the police station in Chennai.
A bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and V Sivagnanam found that there were violations under the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and was disturbed by the manner in which the minor was treated.
On August 29, the minor girl suffered from excruciating stomach pain, following which her mother, who works as a cook, took her to a local clinic. She was referred to the Kilpauk Medical College and Government Hospital where doctors said that she has been recently and repeatedly sexually assaulted, people aware of the matter said. The hospital alerted the Anna Nagar all-women’s police station, they added.
Police registered an FIR on August 30 and named a 31-year-old water can delivery man, Satish, as an accused. He allegedly raped the girl when she was alone at home. Following this, the mother was asked to come to the police station, when the girl was in hospital, police said.
The mother alleged that when she went to the Anna Nagar all women’s police station, investigation officer Raji assaulted her and threatened her. Police have denied the accusations, but transferred the officer.
Child rights activists have earlier said that Satish has connections with politicians and police, and his links must be investigated. The allegations were raised after the girl changed her earlier statement and said that she accused Satish by mistake and that her uncle’s minor son had raped her in 2022.
HT has the audio recording of the girl’s statement to police. However, the mother alleged that police have threatened her child to change her statement.
The Madras high court took suo motu cognizance of the case on September 10. The girl’s mother also filed a habeas corpus petition. Her counsel, R Sampath Kumar, told the court during an earlier hearing in September that she was assaulted in the police station, her phone was snatched away and her daughter was questioned in the hospital when the parents were not present with her.
After registering the FIR, police met the girl at the hospital at 10pm to record her statement on August 30, which is another violation under the Pocso Act, child rights activists have earlier said, as it was late and the minor was not accompanied by her parents or a guardian.
After the second statement of the girl was recorded, the minor boy was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and has been let off. The family demanded the arrest of Satish and sought a CBI probe into the case.