Ahmedabad DGP says attitude of cops unacceptable; promises investigation in lapses during probe by local police

The Ahmedabad Metropolitan court has directed investigations in the kidnapping and rape of a minor girl from the city (rescued by Surat police) to be handed over to the Crime Branch.

This comes after the Ahmedabad police dismissed the complaints of rape lodged by the victim and instead in a court affidavit, termed it as a case of elopement. The police also sought the release of the accused.

Following this, the girl’s father wrote to the Director General of Police; Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police; the Mahila Ayog, and the State Human Rights Commission and Minorities Commission through city-based lawyer Meena Jagtap, for a probe into the flesh trade racket from which she was rescued.

The 13-year-old girl from Behrampura in Ahmedabad was kidnapped on December 10, 2010 when she went to a cobbler. Her father filed a missing complaint with the Danilimda police station the same day. The Ahmedabad police registered an FIR nine days later under IPC sections 363 and 366 (abduction and abduction for marriage). But her father argued, while submitting the affidavit of an eyewitness, that it was a case of kidnapping as she was a minor.

But the Ahmedabad police treated it as a case of elopement.

The accused were identified as Ashfaq alias Makoda, Raja Bhakti and Rajni from Danilimda, who sold her off to three persons — Badal, Mukesh and Nitin.

The girl’s father said: “We found her location only when I received a call from Badal on March 3 saying that his daughter is with him. The caller told us that he will marry her off to one person for a few days and send her back only if I wait and co-operate.”

The girl’s father alerted the Ahmedabad police, who in turn approached their Surat counterparts. “When the Surat police traced the number, they found the location at Kapodara in Surat,” the girl’s father said.

The Surat police arrested Badal and his co-accused, Mukesh and Nitin, on March 7, and rescued the girl from Mukesh’s house in Puna village. The police also seized train tickets from the accused. They planned to sell off the girl again in Varanasi.

Later, the Surat police handed over the accused to Danilimda police for further investigations.

The police records of both Ahmedabad and Surat police show that Badal sold the girl to Mukesh for Rs 70,000, with the payment done in two instalments. Mukesh forcefully married the minor in a temple and took her to Puna village near Surat.

The girl recounted how she was confined for two months, beaten with leather belts by Mukesh, and raped by Badal and others.

“There were three other girls of my age who were brought the same day, but they were taken away by Mukesh and Nitin the same day,” she said.

The girl added that the Ahmedabad police directed her to say in court that she was not raped, but had eloped as her parents were harassing her.

“Inspector Kumbharvadiya told me in the court to respect his instructions,” she said.

On March 11, the girl was produced in the Metropolitan court when the Ahmedabad police submitted their affidavit claiming that the victim was not raped or sold. But on March 17, the court directed the Ahmedabad Crime Branch to take up investigations.

DGP Chitranjan Singh said: “This attitude of Ahmedabad police is unacceptable. The inspector cannot take a decision on his own not to register a rape case based on few statements.”

He said the Crime Branch will lodge a rape case and investigate the lapses in the local police’s investigations. A departmental inquiry will be initiated against the local police, he added.

Inspector Kumbharvadiya said, “The case is with the Ahmedabad Crime Branch and they will investigate if she was raped, sold or not.” 

ExpressIndia