Around 2 years after a minor girl was allegedly raped by 2 students in an orphanage in Kutch district, Police are yet to book the management of that organisation under POCSO Act even as the 2 alleged assailants are facing criminal proceedings, an application by Gandhidham-based activist Vinod Khubchandani has revealed.
Through an application filed with the office of the superintendent of police of Kutch (east) on June 20, Khubchandani had sought to know the status of Kutch district child welfare committee’s recommendation to book the orphanage management under POCSO since the institute had failed to protect the girl from sexual assault & had also not reported the alleged rape to police.
In reply, the office of the Kutch (east) Superintendent of Police told Khubchandani that the action was still pending as the police were waiting for a formal complaint.
On Saturday, a reply sent by the office of the SP to Khubchandani stated that “With respect to the allegation that no action was taken against administrators (of the orphanage) during the course of investigation of this offence, Gandhidham ‘B’ Division police station have informed chairperson of the child welfare committee, Bhuj, Kutch to file a complaint seeking action against administrators of (the orphanage) under provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection) Act, 2015 & the POCSO Act, 2012 for not showing seriousness in this matter & not reporting the incident to competent authority. A noting has been made to register a complaint & initiate action on it once chairperson of child welfare committee, Bhuj, Kutch files an informed complaint with relevant records".
The girl was allegedly dragged to a toilet block by 2 boys living in the same orphanage & raped by the duo on Aug 15, 2018. However, the institute had not reported the matter to police on its own. It was only after the victim’s father & her aunt took her to police station on Oct 4, 20218 that the girl spoke about the sexual assault.
The Superintendent of Police office’s letter to Khubchandani states that both the assailants have been charge-sheeted. While one is facing trial in a special POCSO case in Bhuj, the other is facing proceedings before a juvenile justice board.
However, Khubchandani said that the district child welfare committee has already written twice to the Police to book the administration of the orphanage under POCSO.
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