Survivor Claims Police Favoring Accused; High Court Requests Status Update on Investigation

Soumyadip Mullick, MP, 1 Nov 2024, Kolkata: In a case of alleged rape where the victim has accused the police of forcing her to accept a sum of money from the perpetrator and is trying to shield the accused, a vacation bench of Calcutta High Court directed state to submit a report on the status of the investigation in the case. 

The bench of Justice Rai Chattopadhyay was moved by the petitioner who alleged that she was subjected to the offence of rape and was forced to accept from the perpetrator an amount of Rs 33,000 at the intervention of a police officer concerned in lieu of dropping her complaint. The petitioner alleged that the police took the role of mediator in the case in order to safeguard the actual perpetrator. 

The petitioner’s counsel Arka Pratim Chowdhury submitted that the father of the victim is also being pressurised and taken to the police station. 

His shop was vandalised by the acquaintance of the perpetrator. The petitioner allegedly made several attempts for lodging an FIR in person and through e-mail but failed due to alleged intentional avoidance by the police authority to accept the FIR. 

The petitioner’s counsel prayed that the investigation be done by an independent agency instead of the state police authority. The counsel representing the state submitted in court a report of officer-in-charge, Minakhan Police Station, Basirhat dated October 28, 2024. Referring to this report, the counsel said that the father of the petitioner lodged an FIR at the said police station under Section 69 BNSS. 

He submitted that police is proceeding with the investigation and at best, the writ petitioner’s allegations via e-mail can be attached with the said FIR. 

However, petitioner’s counsel submitted that her father being an illiterate person could not have lodged any complaint before the police station. The court directed the state to file a report on the status of the investigation in connection with the lodged police case on the next date of hearing. 

The matter is set to appear next before a regular Bench. In the case, the petitioner alleged that the perpetrator entered into a physical relationship with her on the basis of false promise of marriage. She became pregnant twice and on both occasions the accused refused to marry her, citing financial hardship while also abusing her. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/tmc-may-bring-resolution-against-centres-deprivation-of-bengal-under-awas-yojana-585347?infinitescroll=1