Amritsar: Gangrape victim’s father alleges lapses in probe, approaches court

PK Jaiswar

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Amritsar, July 24

Though the three new criminal laws replacing the British-era laws came into force from July 1 in the country with an aim to modernise and reform India’s criminal justice system by incorporating various new provisions, old fashioned ways of investigations of the Punjab Police are creating hurdles in delivering of speedy justice.

New sections added in case

The incident had occurred in November last year while an FIR in the case was registered by the police in February this year. After the complainant approached the court on July 15, the police added several other Sections against the accused in the case.

Investigations carried out in a gangrape case registered with the Division B police station earlier this year is glaring example of such lapses. The police investigations in the case have come under scanner with the victim’s father approaching the local court for seeking a probe from senior woman police officer. Earlier, the case was being handled by a male ASI-rank official.

In his application to the court the victim’s father pointed out various lapses in investigations carried out by the police so far. He even accused the investigating officer of being in cahoots with some accused for fabricating evidence in order to save their skin.

The incident had occurred in November last year while an FIR in the case was registered by the police in February this year. The case was registered under Section 376-D (gangrape) of the IPC and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). Later, Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code was added in the FIR.

After the complainant approached the court on July 15, the police added several other Sections including Section 509 (insulting modesty of a woman), 188 (violation of orders of public servant) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC against the accused in the case.

The police had arrested two youth Mankirat Singh and Gursahilpreet Singh, both residents of Ajnala, while the remaining accused were yet to be apprehended.

The victim’s father alleged that Harpreet Singh and Ankuj Kumar were yet to be arrested in the case. Harpreet used to run a hotel where the incident occurred. He also alleged that the hotel and its building was illegal. He said the car in which the accused took her daughter to the said hotel was not impounded by the police. He alleged that cops used the same car used in the crime to take arrested accused to jail. Moreover, the police also failed to send mobile phones of the accused for forensic examination. The victim’s father alleged that he was also being pressurised and getting threats from unscrupulous elements.