SC to DCW: Apprise on relief to woman assaulted by father

New Delhi, Sept. 24: The Supreme Court, on Friday, asked the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to apprise what steps it would take to provide relief to a 19-year-old woman, who has alleged that she was subjected to sexual assault by her father when she was a minor.

The apex court also asked the Delhi police to inform whether it has any objection to taking over the investigation in the case which was transferred to Ambala.

A bench of justices A.M. Khanwilkar and C.T. Ravikumar was hearing a petition filed by the woman seeking transfer of the case from Ambala to Delhi.

In the case, a Zero FIR was lodged at Delhi in July and was subsequently transferred to Ambala.

A Zero FIR can be filed in any police station and it is then forwarded to the concerned police station under whose jurisdiction the alleged offence has been committed for necessary action.

In her petition, filed through advocate Abhinav Agrawal, the woman has said that her father had sexually assaulted her when she was a minor and as her mother had passed away in 2016, there is no one to look after her in the family.

The plea said the woman left her home on July 22 and went to one of her relatives’ house and the following day she approached the DCW.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for DCW told the bench that the woman had approached the commission on July 23 and they are willing to rehabilitate her.

When the counsel said she can approach the commission again, the bench observed that in such cases the DCW should be approaching the complainant.

The counsel said the commission is there with the woman and will take care of her requirements.

The counsel said protection issues would come under the Delhi police and the DCW would provide her everything that they can do and which is in their purview.