CBI probe ordered into gang rape of minors, woman

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) R K Gauba on Friday directed the CBI to present its report within three months, while adding that the court would monitor the investigation on a regular basis. The case has now been committed to the sessions court for trial and will come up next on May 12. The agency has also been given a free hand to book whosoever it finds guilty of a botched investigation.

Ironically, the first FIR into the case was was lodged by the same person who was among the rapists in police uniform and even the stained clothes, a crucial evidence in such cases, was left in his custody for over six months. In a strongly worded order, judge Gauba has raised serious questions over the role of the local district magistrate and the Superintendent of Police in the entire episode and has given the CBI the nod to book whosoever it finds guilty in the nexus.

According to the complaint, five armed men barged into the house of Anokh Singh in Kesarpur Village in district Pilibhit on the night of August 16, while the men of the house were away. They allegedly tied up the five women — Anokh Sigh’s wife, their three minor daughters aged 13, 15 and 17 years respectively and a neighbour’s wife, Mahinder kaur. Two older girls and Kaur were allegedly raped repeatedly by the five men during the night.

The victims were found tied to their cots the following morning by the neighbours, who then gheraoed the police station and forced them to lodge an FIR. The complaint further states that when the victims found that the man writing the FIR was one of the uniformed men, Jai Singh, who had raped them, they were threatened into silence.

The first FIR, therefore, though mentioned that two of the rapists were in police uniform, the complainant did not identify them. The stained clothes of the rape victims were also deposited with Jai Singh. After the news of the police role in the episode spread, the local administration allegedly went all out to save their skin. After the Supreme Court took note of the goings on, the complainant came forward and swore in an affidavit that she was asked not to name the policemen while the police arrested five others for the crime..

The area SP, in turn, suspended the tainted policemen — head Constable Jai Singh, Constable Naresh and Constable Kishan Pal Singh — under an alibi, making an altogether different charge that they were found drunk on duty at a nearby nautanki (drama) on the night of the crime. The alibi being that if they were found drunk elsewhere, how could they have committed the rape. The victims’ clothes were also sent for forensic examination after the Supreme Court was approached with allegations of tempering of evidence and criminal intimidation, among other things.