Bureau Prayagraj. The Supreme Court has shown strictness in the case of rape of a four-year-old girl in Haryana. The apex court has issued a notice to the Haryana government and the state Director General of Police (DGP) on a petition demanding a CBI-Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigation. The court has directed the Gurugram Police Commissioner (CP) and the investigating officer (IO) to appear in person in the court on March 25 along with all the records of the case.
The Supreme Court also expressed displeasure and surprise over the investigation by Haryana Police in the case of rape of a child. The Advocate General of Haryana has also been directed to suggest names of women IPS officers working in the state. The Supreme Court also said in its order that the affidavit filed by the girl’s parents shows that the way the victim was interrogated in the court is also extremely disturbing.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi gave these instructions while hearing the petition filed by the girl’s parents. The petition demands investigation by CBI and raises questions on the investigation by Haryana Police.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the victim’s parents, told the court that the victim’s parents were forced to withdraw the FIR by the officers investigating the case. He also said that when the magistrate recorded the statement of the girl, the accused were also present in the waiting room of the court, whereas the law does not allow the accused to come so close to the victim.
Magistrate told 3-year-old rape victim – ‘Speak the truth’, Supreme Court angry. Supreme Court has expressed strong displeasure over the functioning of Haryana Police in investigating the alleged rape case of a 3-year-old girl in Gurugram. The court has raised many serious questions, terming the method of investigation as ‘extremely shocking’ and ‘insensitive’.
In the hearing held on Monday, the court also objected to the fact that the victim’s statement was recorded in front of the Judicial Magistrate by making her sit very close to the accused. Terming it against the procedure, the court said that sensitivity and adherence to legal protocol are mandatory in such cases. The matter came up for hearing before the bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Joymala Bagji and Vipul Pancholi. During the hearing, the court has directed the Gurugram Police Commissioner and the investigating officer to appear personally on March 25.
The investigating officer (IO) of the POCSO case has already been suspended on charges of taking bribe and in this case also the family was advised not to pursue the matter further. He demanded from the court that Gurugram Police should be removed from the investigation and the case should either be handed over to CBI or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) should be formed.
The court also commented strongly on this and said, ‘Such insensitivity towards a four year old girl is extremely shocking.’ The court also said that in such cases, FIR should have been registered without waiting for the complaint.
The state government argued that initially a woman officer was conducting the investigation, but after her suspension, the SHO took over the investigation. However, expressing dissatisfaction over the shortcomings in the investigation process, the court has given instructions to file a detailed affidavit in the case.
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