SC pulls up Haryana Police & CWC for ‘insensitive’ handling of minor’s rape case

NEW DELHI, March 25: Pulling up Haryana Police and Gurugram’s Child Welfare Committee for “shameful”, “reckless” and “insensitive” approach in the shocking case of rape of a three-year-old, the Supreme Court on Wednesday constituted a special team of women IPS officers to conduct a fair probe into the crime.
The top court also directed the Gurugram district and sessions judge to assign the horrific case to the special POCSO court presided over by a woman judicial officer.
Coming down hard on the investigation carried out so far and the gross mishandling of the case, the top court said, “Shame on you! Is this the way the state deals with crime? The child has undergone more horrifying repeated experiences than the crime itself.”
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said the present case reflects a “disturbing pattern” in which the police authorities have made concerted efforts to “shield the suspects” based on a report of a Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and instead of visiting the child, called her and parents to the police station and the CWC for recording of statements that too in front of the accused in a clear violation of norms. (PTI)