Probe into rape victim’s sexual harassment charge against cops

HARYANA

MONTHS AFTER a 14-year-old girl alleged that she was sexually abused by Haryana Police officials in Kaithal after she had been raped by a minor, the state police has ordered a high-level probe into the matter.

DGP B S Sandhu told The Indian Express on Tuesday that the probe has been handed over to Karnal IGP Subhash Yadav. “We will take action against whoever is found guilty in the probe,” Sandhu said.

On Monday, Punjab and Haryana High Court had sought a response from the DGP on her plea seeking registration of an FIR against the police personnel belonging to Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of the police, who have been accused of sexually harassing the minor in custody.

Alleging that she was asked to unbutton her clothes, the victim had said that the act of the policemen on duty was more humiliating that the rape.

“The policemen by getting opened the buttons of my shirt wanted to inquire whether wrong act (rape) had been committed with me or not. I even feel ashamed to write here about the humiliating questions of the policemen...,” the victim had stated in a complaint sent to the DGP on December 5, 2016.

In her petition to the High Court, the victim alleged that police officers “at the helm of affairs” have failed in ensuring registration of an FIR.

The girl had reportedly “eloped” with a minor in 2016. She was allegedly raped and an FIR was registered against the minor accused under various sections of the IPC related to kidnapping, sexual harassment and Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, 2014 at Titram police station in Kaithal district on November 20, 2016.

Later, the police found her along with the accused. She was the taken to the CIA police station where she was allegedly sexually harassed by the policemen. The girl had made her first written complaint to SP, Kaithal on November 25, 2016.

“After the recovery, the girl was taken to the CIA thana rather than being taken to women cell staff. On the pretext of investigation, the policemen sexually harassed her. We are demanding FIR against the guilty policemen,” said Pardeep Kumar Rapria, advocate for the 14-yearold girl.