The Upalokayukta has issued notices to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) and the inspector of Basavanagudi police station for inaction on a complaint of rape against a chartered accountant working with an app-based cab service firm.
A woman has alleged that Santosh, a chartered accountant working with the cab firm, had raped her on the promise of marriage. According to her, she had lodged the complaint at the Subramanyapura police station in April.
“After the medical examination at the Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, my statement under section 164 of the CrPC was recorded before the magistrate. The suspect filed an anticipatory bail application which was rejected based on the medical examination report. He then moved the High Court and the matter is pending. But the police are not making any efforts to arrest him,” the woman stated in her complaint.
Meanwhile, the case was transferred to the Basavanagudi police station on the woman’s request. On June 19, she made a complaint to Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi.
“I hadn’t concealed any information from the police. Along with the complaint, I had also submitted the extract of WhatsApp messages between my number and Santosh’s number. Initially the police assured me of action, but later started ignoring my plea for a fair investigation. One of the officers also told me that the case would end up in a ‘B’ report,” the victim stated.
The Upalokayukta gave an oral instruction to the Basavanagudi police inspector on June 19 to submit a report by June 22.
“When a serious complaint of an offence punishable under section 376 (rape) of the IPC is alleged by the victim herself, the police should have taken effective steps. When state and central governments repeatedly show concerns about special laws for protection of women from sexual violence, the police should not take such cases lightly. The inspector of Basavanagudi police station has not reported any action taken on the complaint, except for orally informing about registration of the FIR and transfer of the case,” Justice Adi stated.
DCP (South) B S Lokesh Kumar said that efforts were being made to arrest the suspect. “It was on her (the woman’s) request that the case was transferred to the Basavanagudi police station. The police have also made persistent efforts in contesting the anticipatory bail application,” he stressed.
The Upalokayukta has directed the DCP as well as the inspector to appear in person before him on Thursday.
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