SIT formed, family reluctant to get victim’s statement recorded
VICTIM ON WEDNESDAY COMPLAINED TO THE POLICE THAT SHE WAS DRUGGED AND RAPED BY THREE PERSONS, INCLUDING AN ACQUAINTANCE
REWARI : Even as the Haryana Police on Friday set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the alleged gangrape of a 20-yearold Rewari woman, the victim’s family has declined to get her statement recorded before a judicial magistrate citing her traumatic state of mind.
The woman had on Wednesday complained to the police that she was drugged and raped by three persons, including an acquaintance. The case sparked media outcry prompting the state government to form an SIT under Kanina deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Vinod Kumar.
In her complaint to the police, the woman alleged that she was kidnapped, drugged and gangraped in fields near Kanina in Mahendergarh. But the case took a curious turn when the victim’s family expressed reluctance to record her statement under Section 164 of the CRPC as mandatory under the rape law.
“Normally, the complainant and the family cooperate with the police in investigations. Despite the police insistence that the victim should get her statement recorded before a judicial magistrate, the family refused to do so,” said a police official.
The statement recorded before a judicial magistrate has greater legal significance than the one recorded by the police.
Top officials said they also found it strange that one of the accused called up the father of the victim to inform him. The FIR says: “I was gangraped... and then I was dropped at the bus stand around 4.53pm… my father was informed by one of the accused… my mother and brother came to pick me up…”
Her medical examination prima facie did not indicate any internal or external injury, said Kanina DSP Vinod Kumar. “But we have sent swab reports for forensic examination which will be a crucial piece of evidence,” he said. Another important evidence would be the results of victim’s blood tests, which will determine administering of an intoxicant or a drug on her, police said.
“When my daughter told me about the incident, I took her to SP office, but it was evening by then, and the SP was not there. We took her to the women police station, where we lodged a complaint. The police registered zero FIR,” victim’s father said.
He alleged that when the accused came to know about the FIR, they started threatening them to withdraw the complaint. “We are living under fear,” the victim’s mother said, adding that her daughter is not in a condition to record the statement.