The Bombay High Court on Wednesday sought details of the action taken against “erring police officers” attached with the Badlapur police for lapses in registering FIR and investigating the sexual assault case involving two minors inside the school premises there.
State Advocate General Birendra Saraf informed a bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan that departmental inquiry was initiated against the police officers and one officer has been found guilty of dereliction of duty.
“One officer was found guilty of dereliction of duty. The filesent been sent to the police commissioner for necessary action,” Saraf said. Saraf also informed that the chargersheet has been filed in the case.
The bench asked Saraf to inform them about the action taken against the erring police officers. “On the next date, we shall be informed about the action taken against the erring officers attached to Badlapur police station,” the bench said.
The HC had last month directed to set up a committee to review the safety and security of the children in schools and other educational institutions. On Wednesday, the bench inquired whether the committee had submitted any report, and asked it to be produced by the next date of hearing after six weeks.
Saraf informed that the State has taken necessary steps towards the welfare of the two victims. “The compensation amount under the state government's Manodhairya scheme (for victims of sexual assault) has been disbursed,’ he said.
The HC had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the sexual assault on minor girls on August 12 and 13 inside the school's washroom by a male attendant who was hired on contractual basis on August 1. The FIR in the case was registered only on August 16. On August 20, people had protested on the streets and staged a rail blockade after the police and the school failed to attend against the culprit.
The case was initially probed by the Badlapur police, however, following a public outcry over serious lapses in the police investigation, the Maharashtra government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Inspector General Arti Singh, to probe the case.
The accused was arrested but was later killed in a police shootout on September 25, while being taken to Badlapur from Taloja jail.
