JOIN USThe High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to file a report regarding the action taken to arrest Shakeel, who is accused of raping his employer’s 13-year-old daughter. He is absconding after obtaining bail.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice D B Waghela and Justice B V Nagarathna was hearing a batch of petitions, including the one by City-based advocate Vijay Kumar.
It also lashed out at the government for not providing protection to the victim’s family members, who have been ostracised. The bench directed the State government to try and arrest the accused.
Ramanand, counsel for the victim, told the court that the girl’s father was assaulted by some of the community members as the latter refused to get his daughter married to the accused.
When the counsel submitted that the accused had jumped bail and was absconding now, the court said, “You must arrest him, he must be in custody at the earliest.”
To the submission by the government counsel that the police were doing their best, the Chief Justice said, “We want them (police) to work on the ground. If necessary, convey messages to police that such investigations will not help in these kind of cases”.
“ Is this the kind of investigation to be done? If the officers are incompetent, they must be removed,” he said.
“People cannot go absconding. Police can find them. Absconding is generally geographic. Instruct the jurisdictional police. If required, we will order investigation by special branch like CID,” the court said.
When the government counsel sought time, stating that he would get instructions by Wednesday, the bench directed that an officer from the Home department should also be present, so that the bench can know about the problems of the department.