It is now becoming clear that the police had jumped the gun while investigating the rape of a six-year-old girl at Vibgyor High school in Marathalli.
The police jumped to the conclusion after receiving an e-mail alleging that Mustafa Murtuza, skating instructor, was involved in an attempt to rape case while he was earlier working with The Deen's Academy School in Dodsworth Layout in Whitefield and booked him under the provisions of the POSCO Act, 2012 and began investigation.
However, they later realised they had booked him under an Act which was not in force when the alleged attempt to rape incident had taken place. The POCSO Act came into effect in 2012 while the alleged incident had taken place in 2010.
The police, however, were quick in rectifying the mistake. They submitted an application to the magistrate court seeking permission to change the section. The police have requested the court to allow them to invoke IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).
“Mustafa’s acts could be booked under these two sections and hence we submitted an application to the court,” said K V Sharatchandra, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order-East).
Meanwhile, the police continued to collect evidences to prove the involvement of gym instructors Lal Giri and Wasim in the gang-rape of the six-year-old girl at Vibgyor High.
“The investigation is on to ascertain if they were involved in similar offences in the past and if Mustafa was also involved in such acts in Vibgyor High in the past,” said an officer supervising the case.
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