News Analysis India

Tag: POCSO

  • Nainital madrasa sexual abuse case: CM Dhami orders probe into all 419 madrasas in Uttarakhand

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Taking cognizance of the inhuman treatment meted out to children at a Madrassa (an institution for education of Muslim students) in Veerbhatti near Nainital, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered an inquiry into all the 419 madrasas in the state.

    Following the CM’s instructions received by Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, the Home Department has issued orders in this regard to all the District Magistrates of the state. There are 419 madrasas in the state, out of which 192 madrasas are getting government help.

    According to the information received by this newspaper, “In the raid conducted by the team led by the City Magistrate in the illegally running madrasa at Veerbhatti in Nainital district, the team found 24 children in a sick condition”.

    The madrasa children had also accused the operator and his son of assault and sexual abuse.

    Police have registered a case against madrasa operator Mohammad Haroon and his son Ibrahim under various sections including POCSO. After this episode came to light, CM Dhami has ordered an inquiry into all the madrasas in Uttarakhand.

    Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman Shadab Shams told The New Indian Express, “No madrasa will be allowed to operate privately by collecting donations in the name of religion”. A madrasa that collects donations in public and operates it cannot be termed as a ‘private madrasa’. This is against the ethics of Shariat.

    On February 12, 2023, the then Social Welfare Minister late Chandan Ram Das had also directed to investigate all madrasas operating in the state. A three-member committee was formed to investigate. The officials were directed to check whether the madrasas had the recognition of the education department.

    The minister had sought a report on the matter within a month, but no action was taken against any madrasa.

    DEHRADUN: Taking cognizance of the inhuman treatment meted out to children at a Madrassa (an institution for education of Muslim students) in Veerbhatti near Nainital, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered an inquiry into all the 419 madrasas in the state.

    Following the CM’s instructions received by Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, the Home Department has issued orders in this regard to all the District Magistrates of the state. There are 419 madrasas in the state, out of which 192 madrasas are getting government help.

    According to the information received by this newspaper, “In the raid conducted by the team led by the City Magistrate in the illegally running madrasa at Veerbhatti in Nainital district, the team found 24 children in a sick condition”.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The madrasa children had also accused the operator and his son of assault and sexual abuse.

    Police have registered a case against madrasa operator Mohammad Haroon and his son Ibrahim under various sections including POCSO. After this episode came to light, CM Dhami has ordered an inquiry into all the madrasas in Uttarakhand.

    Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman Shadab Shams told The New Indian Express, “No madrasa will be allowed to operate privately by collecting donations in the name of religion”. A madrasa that collects donations in public and operates it cannot be termed as a ‘private madrasa’. This is against the ethics of Shariat.

    On February 12, 2023, the then Social Welfare Minister late Chandan Ram Das had also directed to investigate all madrasas operating in the state. A three-member committee was formed to investigate. The officials were directed to check whether the madrasas had the recognition of the education department.

    The minister had sought a report on the matter within a month, but no action was taken against any madrasa.

  • With abuse cases on rise, residential girls schools in Jharkhand’s Dumka to only have female staff

    Express News Service

    RANCHI: In light of increasing incidents of teachers and male school staff sexually abusing girls studying in residential schools, the Dumka district administration has taken a decision to replace all male staff in the three schools operated by the Welfare Department in Dumka. 

    As of now, male teachers have already been replaced with female teachers.

    Steps are being taken to replace all other male clerical staff, cooks, and security guards with female ones, District Welfare Officer in Dumka Sanjay Kacchap said.

    A complaint box is also going to be installed in each of the residential girls’ schools where they can drop in their complaints without fear. “The keys to the complaint box will be kept at the district headquarters so that it could be accessed only by officials from time to time. These boxes will be opened weekly or fortnightly so that they can act immediately if any complaint has been received from the girls,” he said.

    The officer added that the complaint box will be kept out of the range of CCTV cameras in schools.

    ALSO READ | Class 1 girl raped at residential school’s hostel in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma

    Recently, a principal and a security guard of a government residential girls’ school in Dumka were arrested for allegedly sexually harassing students.

    The arrest was done on Friday within 24 hours of the FIR being lodged at the Nagar Police Station in Dumka. The Deputy Commissioner on Thursday had received a letter by post which accused two male teachers, the principal and the guard of touching students inappropriately and showing them pornographic videos. The letter also alleged that the men were drinking alcohol inside the school. 

    A team formed to investigate the matter found the allegations made by the girls to be true following which the FIR was registered.

    “Two of the accused persons have been arrested and further action will be taken on the basis of the statements recorded by them under section 164 of the IPC,” said Dumka SP Pitamnber Singh Kherwar.

    The officer in charge of the Nagar Police Station said that an FIR has been registered under Sections 354-A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 354-B (any man who assaults or uses criminal force to any woman) 354-D (punishment for stalking) of the Indian Penal Code along with Sections 8 (sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

    RANCHI: In light of increasing incidents of teachers and male school staff sexually abusing girls studying in residential schools, the Dumka district administration has taken a decision to replace all male staff in the three schools operated by the Welfare Department in Dumka. 

    As of now, male teachers have already been replaced with female teachers.

    Steps are being taken to replace all other male clerical staff, cooks, and security guards with female ones, District Welfare Officer in Dumka Sanjay Kacchap said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    A complaint box is also going to be installed in each of the residential girls’ schools where they can drop in their complaints without fear. “The keys to the complaint box will be kept at the district headquarters so that it could be accessed only by officials from time to time. These boxes will be opened weekly or fortnightly so that they can act immediately if any complaint has been received from the girls,” he said.

    The officer added that the complaint box will be kept out of the range of CCTV cameras in schools.

    ALSO READ | Class 1 girl raped at residential school’s hostel in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma

    Recently, a principal and a security guard of a government residential girls’ school in Dumka were arrested for allegedly sexually harassing students.

    The arrest was done on Friday within 24 hours of the FIR being lodged at the Nagar Police Station in Dumka. The Deputy Commissioner on Thursday had received a letter by post which accused two male teachers, the principal and the guard of touching students inappropriately and showing them pornographic videos. The letter also alleged that the men were drinking alcohol inside the school. 

    A team formed to investigate the matter found the allegations made by the girls to be true following which the FIR was registered.

    “Two of the accused persons have been arrested and further action will be taken on the basis of the statements recorded by them under section 164 of the IPC,” said Dumka SP Pitamnber Singh Kherwar.

    The officer in charge of the Nagar Police Station said that an FIR has been registered under Sections 354-A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 354-B (any man who assaults or uses criminal force to any woman) 354-D (punishment for stalking) of the Indian Penal Code along with Sections 8 (sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

  • Minor girl raped in MP’s Satna district; 2nd incident in four days

    PTI

    SATNA:  A 17-year-old girl has been allegedly raped by a man at a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district, police said on Sunday.

    This is the second incident of rape of a minor girl in the district in four days.

    The latest incident took place on Friday, following which the family members of the teenage girl lodged a complaint at Ramnagar police station, an official said, adding the accused was arrested on Saturday.

    The accused, Vijay Saket (19), caught hold of the girl when she went to answer nature’s call in a deserted area on Friday afternoon, Ramnagar police station in-charge Aditya Naryan Dhurve said quoting the victim’s complaint.

    The accused allegedly threatened to kill the girl and raped her, he said.

    The girl got scared and did not inform her family about the incident after returning home, the police official said.

    She narrated the ordeal to her family members on Saturday following which a complaint was lodged, he said.

    The police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for rape, abduction and threatening the victim and arrested the accused, the official said.

    On Thursday, a 12-year-old girl was raped, bitten multiple times and brutalised allegedly by two men working for the trust managing a famous temple in Maihar town of Satna district, police earlier said.

    The two accused, Ravindra Kumar and Atul Bhadoliya, were arrested following the incident and the local administration on Saturday demolished their houses, an official said.

    SATNA:  A 17-year-old girl has been allegedly raped by a man at a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district, police said on Sunday.

    This is the second incident of rape of a minor girl in the district in four days.

    The latest incident took place on Friday, following which the family members of the teenage girl lodged a complaint at Ramnagar police station, an official said, adding the accused was arrested on Saturday.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The accused, Vijay Saket (19), caught hold of the girl when she went to answer nature’s call in a deserted area on Friday afternoon, Ramnagar police station in-charge Aditya Naryan Dhurve said quoting the victim’s complaint.

    The accused allegedly threatened to kill the girl and raped her, he said.

    The girl got scared and did not inform her family about the incident after returning home, the police official said.

    She narrated the ordeal to her family members on Saturday following which a complaint was lodged, he said.

    The police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for rape, abduction and threatening the victim and arrested the accused, the official said.

    On Thursday, a 12-year-old girl was raped, bitten multiple times and brutalised allegedly by two men working for the trust managing a famous temple in Maihar town of Satna district, police earlier said.

    The two accused, Ravindra Kumar and Atul Bhadoliya, were arrested following the incident and the local administration on Saturday demolished their houses, an official said.

  • UP man gets death sentence for sexually assaulting, murdering nine-year-old boy

    By PTI

    MATHURA: A POCSO court in Mathura on Monday awarded a death sentence to a man for sexually assaulting and killing a nine-year-old boy, a government official said.

    “Special Judge POCSO court Ram Kishor Yadav, after hearing both the sides, awarded the death sentence to the accused Mohd Saif,” special District Government Counsel (DGC) POCSO court Alka Upmanyu said.

    The judge pronounced the verdict in a record trial of 15 working days, he said.

    According to the prosecution, an FIR was filed in Sadar Bazar Police Station by the father of the minor boy about his disappearance from the Aurangabad area of Mathura on April 9.

    The following day, on the basis of CCTV footage, police arrested Saif, a resident of Kanpur, presently living in Aurangabad.

    Saif was an employee in the shop of the uncle of the deceased.

    On interrogation, the accused not only disclosed that he had sexually assaulted the boy but also killed him, abandoning the dead body about 500 metre away near a drain after which the FIR of the missing child was converted into Section 363, 302, 201 and 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 6 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) act.

    The court also imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on the convict and said in case of failure to pay it, the accused will have to undergo simple imprisonment also.

    Eighty per cent of the fine will be given to the parents of the deceased who are the legal heir, she added.

    MATHURA: A POCSO court in Mathura on Monday awarded a death sentence to a man for sexually assaulting and killing a nine-year-old boy, a government official said.

    “Special Judge POCSO court Ram Kishor Yadav, after hearing both the sides, awarded the death sentence to the accused Mohd Saif,” special District Government Counsel (DGC) POCSO court Alka Upmanyu said.

    The judge pronounced the verdict in a record trial of 15 working days, he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    According to the prosecution, an FIR was filed in Sadar Bazar Police Station by the father of the minor boy about his disappearance from the Aurangabad area of Mathura on April 9.

    The following day, on the basis of CCTV footage, police arrested Saif, a resident of Kanpur, presently living in Aurangabad.

    Saif was an employee in the shop of the uncle of the deceased.

    On interrogation, the accused not only disclosed that he had sexually assaulted the boy but also killed him, abandoning the dead body about 500 metre away near a drain after which the FIR of the missing child was converted into Section 363, 302, 201 and 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 6 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) act.

    The court also imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on the convict and said in case of failure to pay it, the accused will have to undergo simple imprisonment also.

    Eighty per cent of the fine will be given to the parents of the deceased who are the legal heir, she added.

  • Mere apprehension of victim does not qualify to transfer rape case to female judge: Delhi HC

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has refused to transfer a rape case lodged by a woman from a male to female judge, saying it will open floodgates where all such cases would be required to be shifted to special courts dealing with POCSO matters or presided over by a woman judicial officer.

    The high court said mere apprehension of the petitioner, which can be subjective, cannot become a ground for the transfer of cases to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) courts even though the offence does not involve provisions of the POCSO Act.

    Justice Anish Dayal said presiding officers, male or female, are expected to handle such cases in a sensitive manner having due regard to directions passed by the Supreme Court and the high court while dealing with matters involving women or children or sexual offences.

    “In this context, it may be appropriate to remind ourselves of the famous aphorism: ‘Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done’,” the high court said.

    The high court was hearing a case involving allegations of misuse of the complainant’s photographs on a porn site following which the accused was arrested and his laptop seized.

    While the criminal case is pending before a trial court at the stage of arguments on framing of charges, the woman approached the high court contending that the proceedings should be presided over by a female judge and not a male judge while citing certain provisions of the CrPC.

    The high court, after perusing the provisions, said there is no inflexible mandate as regards the trial of matters under Section 376 IPC (rape) to be dealt with by a court presided over by a woman judge.

    Section 26 (a)(iii) proviso of CrPC categorically provides that offences mentioned (including section 376 IPC) shall be tried as far as practicable by a court presided over by a woman.

    The petitioner’s counsel said the trial pursuant to the complaint under sections 376(rape), 354A (sexual harassment), 387 (putting someone in fear of death of grievous hurt to commit extortion) of the IPC and sections 66 E and 67 A of the Information Technology Act may be transferred to a newly created court of the ASJ (POCSO) which is presided over by a lady judge.

    The plea claimed the complainant woman does not feel comfortable while appearing before the court and the presiding officer has been insensitive.

    The high court, however, said, “Be that as it may, mere apprehension of the petitioner (which can be subjective) cannot become a ground for transfer of cases to POCSO courts even though the offence does not involve provisions of POCSO Act.”

    “This would create a precedent which would open floodgates where all cases being tried for offences under section 376 IPC would be required to be transferred to special courts dealing with POCSO and/or presided by a woman judge,” it said.

    The high court said even though this may be ideally desirable in the overall administration of justice, as stated by the Supreme Court, at this stage when no such directions have been passed on the administrative or judicial side for a carte blanche mandate, a transfer may potentially create difficulties in administration of justice, allocation and preservation of jurisdictions.

    Besides, as contended by the prosecutor, the grounds stated by the petitioner do not come within the purview of the conditions for the transfer of the case, it said.

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has refused to transfer a rape case lodged by a woman from a male to female judge, saying it will open floodgates where all such cases would be required to be shifted to special courts dealing with POCSO matters or presided over by a woman judicial officer.

    The high court said mere apprehension of the petitioner, which can be subjective, cannot become a ground for the transfer of cases to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) courts even though the offence does not involve provisions of the POCSO Act.

    Justice Anish Dayal said presiding officers, male or female, are expected to handle such cases in a sensitive manner having due regard to directions passed by the Supreme Court and the high court while dealing with matters involving women or children or sexual offences.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “In this context, it may be appropriate to remind ourselves of the famous aphorism: ‘Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done’,” the high court said.

    The high court was hearing a case involving allegations of misuse of the complainant’s photographs on a porn site following which the accused was arrested and his laptop seized.

    While the criminal case is pending before a trial court at the stage of arguments on framing of charges, the woman approached the high court contending that the proceedings should be presided over by a female judge and not a male judge while citing certain provisions of the CrPC.

    The high court, after perusing the provisions, said there is no inflexible mandate as regards the trial of matters under Section 376 IPC (rape) to be dealt with by a court presided over by a woman judge.

    Section 26 (a)(iii) proviso of CrPC categorically provides that offences mentioned (including section 376 IPC) shall be tried as far as practicable by a court presided over by a woman.

    The petitioner’s counsel said the trial pursuant to the complaint under sections 376(rape), 354A (sexual harassment), 387 (putting someone in fear of death of grievous hurt to commit extortion) of the IPC and sections 66 E and 67 A of the Information Technology Act may be transferred to a newly created court of the ASJ (POCSO) which is presided over by a lady judge.

    The plea claimed the complainant woman does not feel comfortable while appearing before the court and the presiding officer has been insensitive.

    The high court, however, said, “Be that as it may, mere apprehension of the petitioner (which can be subjective) cannot become a ground for transfer of cases to POCSO courts even though the offence does not involve provisions of POCSO Act.”

    “This would create a precedent which would open floodgates where all cases being tried for offences under section 376 IPC would be required to be transferred to special courts dealing with POCSO and/or presided by a woman judge,” it said.

    The high court said even though this may be ideally desirable in the overall administration of justice, as stated by the Supreme Court, at this stage when no such directions have been passed on the administrative or judicial side for a carte blanche mandate, a transfer may potentially create difficulties in administration of justice, allocation and preservation of jurisdictions.

    Besides, as contended by the prosecutor, the grounds stated by the petitioner do not come within the purview of the conditions for the transfer of the case, it said.

  • Maharashtra: AC mechanic rapes five-year-old girl in building lift; arrested

    By PTI

    THANE: An air-conditioner (AC) mechanic allegedly raped a five-year-old girl inside the lift of a residential building at Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, after which he was arrested, police said on Saturday.

    The incident occurred on Tuesday evening at Taloja, they said.

    “The accused, 19, spotted the five-year-old girl playing in the parking area of the building when he was climbing down the stairs after some AC repair work there. He took the girl inside the lift and sexually assaulted her there before leaving the place,” senior inspector Jitendra Sonawane of Taloja police station said.

    The victim immediately went home on the third floor and started vomiting. When her mother asked her if everything was ok, the child told her about the incident. After that, her mother rushed downstairs, where she found the accused. He was held by the security guard of the building and other residents, the police official said.

    The residents then handed him over to the police, who arrested him and registered a case against him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 376 (rape) and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he added.

    On Friday, a local court remanded him into judicial custody, Sonawane said, adding that investigation into the case was on.

    THANE: An air-conditioner (AC) mechanic allegedly raped a five-year-old girl inside the lift of a residential building at Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, after which he was arrested, police said on Saturday.

    The incident occurred on Tuesday evening at Taloja, they said.

    “The accused, 19, spotted the five-year-old girl playing in the parking area of the building when he was climbing down the stairs after some AC repair work there. He took the girl inside the lift and sexually assaulted her there before leaving the place,” senior inspector Jitendra Sonawane of Taloja police station said.

    The victim immediately went home on the third floor and started vomiting. When her mother asked her if everything was ok, the child told her about the incident. After that, her mother rushed downstairs, where she found the accused. He was held by the security guard of the building and other residents, the police official said.

    The residents then handed him over to the police, who arrested him and registered a case against him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 376 (rape) and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he added.

    On Friday, a local court remanded him into judicial custody, Sonawane said, adding that investigation into the case was on.

  • Pocso accused forced to serve Jain in Tihar, says probe panel 

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  At least five Tihar inmates, two of them accused in POCSO cases, were pressured by the Tihar administration to provide “special services” to jailed AAP minister Satyendra Jain, said an inquiry panel that is looking into allegations of VVIP treatment given to Jain in jail.

    The committee underlined that a retinue of jail officials was involved in the service of Jain.  Tihar inmate Rinku, accused of raping a minor, allegedly gave a massage to Jain whose videos created a political storm a few days ago. “I have provided the massage to him (Jain) at the instructions of jail officials. Now I am being threatened. I have not even taken a drop of water from the cell of Satyendra Jain for giving the massage,” the report  said quoting his recorded confession. 

    After the video of Jain getting a massage in jail was circulated on social media, the AAP claimed he was actually receiving physiotherapy as part of treatment. However, Rinku clarified that he never got any training in physiotherapy and that his main profession was to provide mare services for marriage functions. 

    “This massage was not voluntarily or out of love & affection, as claimed by the then Superintendent Jail but was in the nature of leisure for enjoying lavish lifestyle in jail by Satyendra Jain,” the committee noted. Meanwhile, another POCSO accused, Manish, was found to be involved in providing fruits and outside food to Jain. “Jail warden used to deposit money in my jail account card.

    By using my card, I used to purchase fruits from jail canteen for Satyendra Jain. He deposited money in my jail account card 3-4 times and each time he deposited Rs 6,900… I did not provide services to Jain willingly,” the report quoted Manish as saying.

    Ready to face ed probe, says KavithaTRS MLC K Kavitha, whose name figured in a remand report by the ED in the Delhi liquor scam case, said she is ready to face any kind of probe. “If the agencies come and ask us questions we will certainly answer. But tarnishing leaders’ images by giving selective leaks to the media, people will refute it,” she told reporters

    NEW DELHI:  At least five Tihar inmates, two of them accused in POCSO cases, were pressured by the Tihar administration to provide “special services” to jailed AAP minister Satyendra Jain, said an inquiry panel that is looking into allegations of VVIP treatment given to Jain in jail.

    The committee underlined that a retinue of jail officials was involved in the service of Jain.  Tihar inmate Rinku, accused of raping a minor, allegedly gave a massage to Jain whose videos created a political storm a few days ago. “I have provided the massage to him (Jain) at the instructions of jail officials. Now I am being threatened. I have not even taken a drop of water from the cell of Satyendra Jain for giving the massage,” the report  said quoting his recorded confession. 

    After the video of Jain getting a massage in jail was circulated on social media, the AAP claimed he was actually receiving physiotherapy as part of treatment. However, Rinku clarified that he never got any training in physiotherapy and that his main profession was to provide mare services for marriage functions. 

    “This massage was not voluntarily or out of love & affection, as claimed by the then Superintendent Jail but was in the nature of leisure for enjoying lavish lifestyle in jail by Satyendra Jain,” the committee noted. Meanwhile, another POCSO accused, Manish, was found to be involved in providing fruits and outside food to Jain. “Jail warden used to deposit money in my jail account card.

    By using my card, I used to purchase fruits from jail canteen for Satyendra Jain. He deposited money in my jail account card 3-4 times and each time he deposited Rs 6,900… I did not provide services to Jain willingly,” the report quoted Manish as saying.

    Ready to face ed probe, says Kavitha
    TRS MLC K Kavitha, whose name figured in a remand report by the ED in the Delhi liquor scam case, said she is ready to face any kind of probe. “If the agencies come and ask us questions we will certainly answer. But tarnishing leaders’ images by giving selective leaks to the media, people will refute it,” she told reporters

  • Every third crime against children relates to sexual offences: NCRB

    Delhi topped the list among the Union Territories with 7,783 crimes against children registered in 2021, while Nagaland registered the lowest number of crimes against children.

  • UP man sentenced to five years’ RI for attempting to rape minor Dalit girl

    By PTI

    SULTANPUR: A POCSO court here has sentenced a 40-year-old man to five years’ rigorous imprisonment for attempting to rape a minor Dalit girl in a village in Amethi district in 2020.

    Special Judge Pawan Kumar Sharma also imposed a fine of Rs 21,000 on the convict Dinanath Mishra on Monday.

    Special Public Prosecutor CL Dwivedi said the mother of the 13-year-old Dalit girl had said in a police complaint that her daughter had taken the goats for grazing when Mishra attempted to rape her on October 3, 2020.

    As the girl screamed for help, people nearby rushed to save her.

    After this, he hurled casteist remarks at the girl and also threatened to kill her, Dwivedi said.

    SULTANPUR: A POCSO court here has sentenced a 40-year-old man to five years’ rigorous imprisonment for attempting to rape a minor Dalit girl in a village in Amethi district in 2020.

    Special Judge Pawan Kumar Sharma also imposed a fine of Rs 21,000 on the convict Dinanath Mishra on Monday.

    Special Public Prosecutor CL Dwivedi said the mother of the 13-year-old Dalit girl had said in a police complaint that her daughter had taken the goats for grazing when Mishra attempted to rape her on October 3, 2020.

    As the girl screamed for help, people nearby rushed to save her.

    After this, he hurled casteist remarks at the girl and also threatened to kill her, Dwivedi said.

  • Bhopal Horror: Top brass of school booked under POCSO over lapses in sexual assault of nursery student

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: Perhaps for the first time, the top brass of a prominent private school in Madhya Pradesh have been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act 2020.

    Three top officials, including the prominent school’s chairperson, director (operations), principal and the transport in-charge were booked by the Bhopal police under Section 188 IPC and Section 21 of POCSO Act late on Thursday night, for lapses in the matter pertaining to the alleged sexual assault on three and half years nursery student by bus driver inside the school bus on September 8.

    According to a senior Bhopal Police commissionerate officer, the four officials of the school were booked after hours of questioning of around 30-40 staff members of the 2200-students strong school.

    The four officials have been found prima facie responsible for non-operability of CCTV camera installed in the bus (in which the minor was sexually assaulted on September 8) and covering up the matter for three days in the name of an internal probe, instead of reporting it timely to the police.

    “Though the parents reported the matter to the school administration on September 9 only (a day after it happened in the bus), instead of reporting it to Bhopal Police immediately, the school administration kept on misleading the nursery student’s parents in the name of conducting an internal probe. It was finally on September 12 that the Bhopal Police came to know about the matter after the girl’s parents themselves reported the matter to the cops,” a senior Bhopal police officer said.

    Both the accused, the middle aged school bus driver and the female caretaker in the bus, were arrested by police on September 12 only and booked u/s 376 AB and provisions of the POCSO Act.

    A special investigation team (SIT) headed by ADCP Shrutkirti Somwanshi has been constituted by the Bhopal Police Commissioner Makarand Deouskar to probe the case, whose probe is being personally monitored by MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The SIT is now working to file a charge sheet in the case before the court within 10 days. 

    Meanwhile, a parallel probe into the matter by the MP State Commission for Child Rights (MPSCPCR) has also led to some shocking revelations.

    “Not just one nursery student girl, but two more nursery students could have been actually sexually assaulted, as the uniform of two more students were changed inside the same school bus the same day, as was in the case with the sexual assault survivor three and half years old minor,” the Commission’s member Brajesh Chouhan told The New Indian Express on Friday.

    “Though CCTV camera was installed in the bus, its Digital Video Recorder (DVR) didn’t have any memory card, meaning there was a digital eye in the bus, but without any brain and memory power. Also, the GPS system of the concerned bus hadn’t been updated. Importantly, it was among the 10 odd buses of that school, whose GPS system was awaiting update,” Chouhan added.

    The child rights body whose team spent around 9-10 hours at the concerned school on Thursday, also strongly felt that the bus driver accused of sexually assaulting the minor on September 8, possibly had no prior experience of operating a school bus. Till 2019, he was driving the personal car of some individual in Indore, but after becoming jobless during the covid-19 pandemic, he was helping his father run the family’s tea shop in Bhopal. He joined the school as a bus driver just a few months back only, the child rights body member said.

    “Also, the counselling of the girl by the state certified counsellor suggests that the concerned bus driver could have molested/sexually assaulted her previously also. We’re going to write to the Bhopal Police Commissioner for investigating on all these aspects also,” Chouhan maintained.

    BHOPAL: Perhaps for the first time, the top brass of a prominent private school in Madhya Pradesh have been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act 2020.

    Three top officials, including the prominent school’s chairperson, director (operations), principal and the transport in-charge were booked by the Bhopal police under Section 188 IPC and Section 21 of POCSO Act late on Thursday night, for lapses in the matter pertaining to the alleged sexual assault on three and half years nursery student by bus driver inside the school bus on September 8.

    According to a senior Bhopal Police commissionerate officer, the four officials of the school were booked after hours of questioning of around 30-40 staff members of the 2200-students strong school.

    The four officials have been found prima facie responsible for non-operability of CCTV camera installed in the bus (in which the minor was sexually assaulted on September 8) and covering up the matter for three days in the name of an internal probe, instead of reporting it timely to the police.

    “Though the parents reported the matter to the school administration on September 9 only (a day after it happened in the bus), instead of reporting it to Bhopal Police immediately, the school administration kept on misleading the nursery student’s parents in the name of conducting an internal probe. It was finally on September 12 that the Bhopal Police came to know about the matter after the girl’s parents themselves reported the matter to the cops,” a senior Bhopal police officer said.

    Both the accused, the middle aged school bus driver and the female caretaker in the bus, were arrested by police on September 12 only and booked u/s 376 AB and provisions of the POCSO Act.

    A special investigation team (SIT) headed by ADCP Shrutkirti Somwanshi has been constituted by the Bhopal Police Commissioner Makarand Deouskar to probe the case, whose probe is being personally monitored by MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The SIT is now working to file a charge sheet in the case before the court within 10 days. 

    Meanwhile, a parallel probe into the matter by the MP State Commission for Child Rights (MPSCPCR) has also led to some shocking revelations.

    “Not just one nursery student girl, but two more nursery students could have been actually sexually assaulted, as the uniform of two more students were changed inside the same school bus the same day, as was in the case with the sexual assault survivor three and half years old minor,” the Commission’s member Brajesh Chouhan told The New Indian Express on Friday.

    “Though CCTV camera was installed in the bus, its Digital Video Recorder (DVR) didn’t have any memory card, meaning there was a digital eye in the bus, but without any brain and memory power. Also, the GPS system of the concerned bus hadn’t been updated. Importantly, it was among the 10 odd buses of that school, whose GPS system was awaiting update,” Chouhan added.

    The child rights body whose team spent around 9-10 hours at the concerned school on Thursday, also strongly felt that the bus driver accused of sexually assaulting the minor on September 8, possibly had no prior experience of operating a school bus. Till 2019, he was driving the personal car of some individual in Indore, but after becoming jobless during the covid-19 pandemic, he was helping his father run the family’s tea shop in Bhopal. He joined the school as a bus driver just a few months back only, the child rights body member said.

    “Also, the counselling of the girl by the state certified counsellor suggests that the concerned bus driver could have molested/sexually assaulted her previously also. We’re going to write to the Bhopal Police Commissioner for investigating on all these aspects also,” Chouhan maintained.