Court pulls up cops in rape case

A city court has criticised the investigation officer in a four-year-old girl’s rape case and sought an explanation from the officer for not conducting the probe in a proper way.

The court said the case file had revealed that the statement of the girl had not been recorded since the June 14 incident in south Delhi’s Sangam Vihar.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Rao, while recording the victim’s statement, found fault in the investigation and asked investigation officer Sushma Tyagi and Sangam Vihar station house officer Dalip Singh to file a written explanation.

“The allegations were extremely grave in nature. A child hardly four years old was sexually molested and the conduct of both officials has shaken the conscience of the court,” said Magistrate Rao. 

The girl was sexually assaulted by a man living close to her house in Sangam Vihar. The accused is in judicial custody.

The court’s observation came after it noticed that the girl was quiet during the entire proceedings and failed to answer any question. The court found that police had not followed the procedure related to treatment of minor rape victims.

According to the Delhi High Court, police must ensure that a minor rape victim be presented before a child welfare committee for counselling. 

“Tyagi could not even state the facts of the case,” said the court. The court added that she did not make any attempt to record the statement of the victim’s seven-year-old brother, the only witness in the case.