HC asks Crime Branch to complete probe by June 29
KD NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, May 12: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ordered Crime Branch to probe truthfulness or otherwise of a complaint against three police and public officers by a woman that she was raped following demolition of her house in Jammu.
As per the allegations contained in the complaint filed by the woman, a Demolition Squad lead by the SDM, North, Jammu along with the three accused officers demolished her house on 3 August 2018 with the use of JCB, Tipper and Cranes. She claimed that not only her house was demolished without any notice or warning but she was also manhandled on the spot by a senior police officer who forcibly put her into the van and took her to the Police Post, Chinore.
She alleged that she was kept in the Police Post for two nights from 03.08.2018 to 05.08.2018. She also alleged that a false and frivolous case was registered against her under Sections 107/151 Cr.PC. She further alleged that on the evening of 03.08.2018, “she was shifted to a secluded room behind the main building of the Police Post and was slapped and molested by one of the accused persons who then forcibly committed intercourse with her without her consent”.
“He was followed by “2 others who also repeated the same act with the petitioner (woman).”
She said that on the intervening night of 04.08.2018 and 05.08.2018, the trio ravished her again. She wanted to get herself medically examined on 05.08.2018, but, was also not permitted to do so.
She also claimed to have gone to SMGS Hospital, Jammu for getting herself examined, but, the trio managed that no such examination takes place in the Hospital. She later claimed to have appeared before the Inspector General of Police, Jammu on 13.08.2018 during a public hearing and narrated him the whole episode and even showed him proof of the respondents 5 to 7 having committed the offence.
She alleged that though her grievance was heard by the Inspector General of Police, Jammu, who forwarded her complaint to the SSP, Jammu but strangely no FIR was registered against the trio.
After hearing the woman and other side, the high court directed that an inquiry directed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu in the matter shall be restricted to ascertainment of the truth or falsehood of the complaint and the same shall be conducted by an officer of the Crime Branch not below the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police as may be appointed by the IGP Crime, Jammu. The court said that it shall be completed and submitted to the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu on or before 29.06.2019
