Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 8: Fast Track Court's Presiding Officer Kishore Kumar has rejected the bail application of the alleged main accused in the rape of a mentally retarded girl.
Angat Kumar, son of Sat Paul of Sewa Jagir, Rajouri, is accused of raping a mentally retarded girl of Rotary Inner Wheel Home for Mentally Retarded Children at Channi Himmat here in 2013.
As per the prosecution story, one Aarti Mahajan, who was a regular visitor to the Home, approached Trikuta Nagar police station on July 9, 2013, with a written complaint, alleging therein that the inmates were being sexually abused by the accused and others. She also alleged that there was absence of government guidelines for the proper functioning of the Home.
The SHO brought the matter to the notice of then SSP, Jammu, who vide his communication No PHS/13/186 of July 10, 2013 forwarded the complaint along with report of SDPO, City East, to the district magistrate, Jammu, who vide his Ref No DCJ/Ord/2013-14/111-118 dated July 11, 2013 constituted a 5-member committee, headed by then additional DC, (Adm), Sushma Chauhan.
The committee submitted its inquiry report on August 27, 2013, in two parts. Part-A had the observations of the committee about the general condition of Home and part-B contained analysis based on the observations regarding sexual ravishment of five mentally retarded girls of the Home having border line intelligence by the staff members and also by persons outside the Home. The district magistrate vide his Ref No DCJ/PS/2013-14 /285-287 dated August 29, 2013 forwarded the report to the SSP for necessary action under law which initially led to the registration of a case under section 376 of RPC.
To further probe the matter, a SIT, headed by then SP (south) Rameshwar Singh, was constituted. During the course of investigation, five alleged victim girls were examined by psychiatric board of three doctors and the opinion of the board was placed on record. After completion of investigation, challan was presented in the court of law.
The court, after hearing both the sides, observed that the act of rape 'rears its ugly facade almost every day'. "As per the National Crime Bureau, a rape is committed after every 20 minutes in India.
Rape, being the fastest growing crime, is undoubtedly one of the most terrible, belligerent and atrocious act committed against the dignity of a woman. Rape has been held to be more serious than the murder. Rape lays a permanent scar on the life of the victim," the judge said.
With these observations, the court rejected the bail application of the accused. (JNF) |
