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Top cops in rapist row suspended, Rajasthan tells SC
Rajasthan Government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it has suspended two senior police officers for their failure to arrest a hotelier who raped a British tourist.
Rajasthan Government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it has suspended two senior police officers for their failure to arrest a hotelier who raped a British tourist.
The two officers -- Brijesh Kumar Soni and Gopal Singh Rathore -- holding the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) have been placed under suspension after they failed to arrest the accused, Prabhat Singh Rana, as per the January 16 directive of the apex court.
The Attorney General, G Vahanvati, submitted in the court a status report on the steps bring taken to arrest Rana against whom a proclamation order has also been issued.
He informed a Bench of Justices Markandey Katju and Asok Kumar Ganguly that the Rajasthan Chief Minister had personally convened a meeting on July 23 to take stock of the situation after the apex court on June 20 passed a stinging rebuke against the state government for its failure to arrest Rana despite its directions.
In its last hearing, the SC had directed for personal appearance of the state home secretary before it. In pursuant of the directive, the home secretary today appeared before the court and tendered unconditional apology through an affidavit.
Rana was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a fast track court in Udaipur for the rape of the British tourist who was his guest at the hotel. However, the Rajasthan High Court stayed the sentence and granted him bail, following which Rana appealed in the apex court.
