Law enforcers frustrating state's claim on treating crime against women seriously: HC

Mumbai, Aug 21 (PTI) The Bombay High Court has expressed displeasure over the "paradox" in the state administration's claim on serious treatment of offences against women and prompt investigation, stating law enforcers were frustrating these assurances.

A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Neela Gokhale, hearing a plea on August 12 filed by a man seeking quashing of a case filed against him for allegedly outraging the modesty of a woman and disrobing her in public, noted certain deficiencies and flagged false statements made by the investigating officer.

Noting the necessity to bring the situation to the notice of the highest executive in the hierarchy of the Police Department, the bench directed the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Home Department to file a reply to the man's petition within two weeks.

As per the FIR filed by the Yavat police in Pune rural on April 30, the man allegedly abused a woman in foul language. When her daughter, 25, tried to intervene, the man allegedly abused her and tried to assault her, during which he tore off her sleeve and tried to undress her.

On instructions from head constable Ajinkya Daundkar, state advocate Ashish Satpute informed the court that a chargesheet has been filed in the case.

After going through the chargesheet, the court said they were "not only shocked but quite appalled" to find that the seizure of clothes Panchanama of the daughter's dress was absent in the chargesheet.

The court said the demeanour of the probe officer clearly indicates that he is more interested in protecting the interest of the accused person/s than in protecting the interest of a victim of sexual assault in the crime.

"We may note here that this is a paradox to the claim usually made by the State Administration that offences against women are being treated seriously and investigated promptly by the State. This is the best example as to how the claim of the State is being frustrated by the law enforcers," the court underlined.

The court directed the ACS to file an affidavit in two weeks and called for "adopting appropriate strict remedial measures as may be permissible under the law".

The HC has stayed the proceedings in the case before the magistrate court till the next date of hearing on September 3. PTI SP NSK