POCSO court orders FIR against security guard on minor's molestation complaint

Noida, Nov 25 (PTI) A special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in Uttar Pradesh has directed the Noida police to lodge an FIR against a security guard accused of molesting an 11-year-old girl.

The police had closed the complaint lodged by the minor's mother, allegedly relying on the accused's statement while ignoring the victim's testimony.

In his order, POCSO judge Vikas Nagar recorded the statement of the minor victim and noted: "During the course of the hearing, the victim of the case appeared before this court and narrated the incident/offence committed upon her body by opposite party no. 1 (accused guard)." The POCSO Act mandates an FIR (First Information Report) once a victim alleges a sexual offence.

While directing the police to lodge an FIR against the main accused, the court said the investigating officer will take action against other accused persons if they are found to be involved during the investigation.

Besides the guard, the minor, through her mother, has also alleged the involvement of a member of the Apartment Owners' Association for possessing on his phone "her selfie with the accused guard," which the guard had allegedly clicked to imply her consent.

Police officers, including the SHO of the Expressway Thana, were also accused of pressuring the family to agree to a compromise.

According to the complaint, the incident took place on March 16, 2025, when the girl was returning after playing with friends in an under-construction building near her gated apartment complex.

The guard deployed there allegedly lured the minor to an isolated spot and sexually assaulted her. He also allegedly made her take a selfie with him to imply her consent. After the ordeal was over, the minor reported the incident to a lady guard, the complaint said.

The minor's mother alleged that the Expressway Thana SHO initially refused to accept their complaint. He registered it only after much persuasion, but refused to issue a receipt, she claimed. He also agreed to send a lady constable to record the victim's statement.

Despite recording the victim's statement on May 1, 2025, the police did not lodge an FIR, the mother alleged, adding that the police pressured the family to reach a compromise.

"My husband met DCP Yamuna Prasad, whose office received the complaint and assured action. Prasad's office asked him to coordinate with ACP III," the mother said.

When repeated requests to the ACP and the SHO yielded no action, the family raised the matter on the Chief Minister's Grievance Portal. In response, the Noida police filed a closure report stating that the investigating officer had spoken to the accused guard on the phone and that he claimed he had only scolded the girl.

The police closure report did not include the victim's statement, which had been recorded on May 1, 2025.

The mother, in October 2025, approached the POCSO Court in Greater Noida through lawyers Sachin Jain and Hardeep Singh Sondhi.

During the hearing, the judge asked the minor to appear before the court and recorded her statement.

"It is deeply concerning that the state administration declines to entertain such sensitive complaints at the very outset. Is the state attempting to reduce its crime rate by simply not registering the crime?" Jain said. PTI BJ RHL