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Woman quizzes NCW for rape accused husband's suicide

She asks if right processes followed before FIR was filed
Last Updated 02 January 2014, 20:50 IST

 The wife of the social activist, who committed suicide after being accused of raping a fellow activist, has questioned if the National Commission for Women had handled the case correctly.

Khurshid Anwar, executive director of NGO Institute for Social Democracy, jumped to death from his third floor residence in Vasant Kunj on December 18, hours after a rape case was filed against him. He was accused of forcing himself upon a 23-year-old fellow activist on the night of September 12.

In the letter, activist’s wife Meenakshi Sundriyal has questioned the presence of one member of the statutory body on a television show which she alleged was prejudiced against the deceased.

Sundriyal has also asked for the procedure and rules followed by the statutory body while recommending registeration of an FIR in such cases.

“The NCW’s role in the matter is shrouded in mystery. Apparently someone sent them a CD containing the accusations against my husband some time in the second week of December,” Sundriyal said in a press statement.

“We want to know whether the established procedures were followed before the NCW requested the police to file an FIR against him in the absence of the complainant for well over three months,” she added.

Ritwik Agrawal, spokesperson for a campaign seeking thorough investigations into the events leading to Anwar’s death, said the presence of an NCW member on a television show raises many questions.

“On December 16, the member was a guest on a TV programme on the rape charges against Anwar. On air she said she had no information about this case. Next day, NCW asked for an FIR to be filed against Anwar. So we assume that either the member was kept in the dark, or they received knowledge of the case only overnight,” Agrawal told
Deccan Herald.

“We want to know if the NCW tried to get in touch with either the accused or the complainant before recommending the filing of an FIR. They for sure did not contact Anwar’s family. We are not making any allegations against NCW, but we want to know what is the protocol in such cases and if they were followed here,” said Agrawal.

Anwar’s family and friends also want to know if it is regular practice to recommend the filing of a case on the basis of evidence such as material available on a video CD like the one in this case.

“The video is less of a testimony and more of a drawing room discussion. We believe the complainant was being prompted,” said Agrawal.

Social activist Madhu Kishwar had recorded the allegations of the alleged victim at her office and the CD soon found its way to the public.

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(Published 02 January 2014, 20:50 IST)

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