The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) on Thursday sought the investigation case diary from Patna police by September 5 in connection with the sordid gang rape incident in a Punaichak apartment last month.
In that case Prashant Jha, one of the accused, was redirected to Beur jail from remand home on the ground that he was found to be overaged and not a juvenile.
KD Mishra, a lawyer, said that JJB had sought the case diary from Patna police to review the case. “There are many flaws in the police investigation. The incident had taken place on June 14 but it was brought to light on July 18 by the state women’s commission (SWC). The girl had mentioned her father’s name as Sujeet Rai in SWC complaint file, while before the CJM she gave his name as Kamlesh Rai,” he added. He pointed out that the girl did not even mention her house address in her complaint to the SWC.
“Before filing the case, Patna police should have conducted proper investigations. The commission had recorded the girl’s statement on July 18 but the FIR was lodged (case no 3/12) with Mahila police station on the directive of DGP Abhyanand on July 24. This has also raised a question as to what caused the delay of six days in lodging the FIR,” Mishra said.
{{/usCountry}}“Before filing the case, Patna police should have conducted proper investigations. The commission had recorded the girl’s statement on July 18 but the FIR was lodged (case no 3/12) with Mahila police station on the directive of DGP Abhyanand on July 24. This has also raised a question as to what caused the delay of six days in lodging the FIR,” Mishra said.
{{/usCountry}}He said, “It seems the gang rape investigation is politically motivated. This is the reason why JJB has sought police investigation diary to pin-point the error in police investigation,” Mishra said.
A police officer said the SHO of Mahila police station-cum-investigation officer of the case (I-O), Ranjeeta Sinha had filed a request letter on August 6 to JJB, enclosing the school certificate of Prashant, who had earlier claimed to be a minor. The certificate shows, that Prashant was born on March 26, 1994, which indicated, that he was overage, the police officer added.
Police said after the verification of Prashant’s birth certificate, the accused would be sent to jail within no time. “Prashant was sent to remand home after he was produced before the chief judicial magistrate on July 30. He was nabbed from Chapra on July 29,” said a police officer.
The JJB had issued notice Patna police in connection with disclosing the name of a minor in the gang rape case to media persons. The notice had been served on the station house officer (SHO) of Mahila police station.
Meanwhile, Patna police have so far arrested six accused involved in the gang rape case. However, police have failed to recover the cell phones, which were used for preparing MMS of the victim.