Badlapur: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged sexual abuse of two preschoolers in Badlapur, led by Inspector General of Police Aarti Singh, has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the school authorities for failing to report the crime to police.
A Senior Official Of Thane Police Speaks On Section 21 Of The POCSO Act
A senior official from Thane police said that an additional charge under section 21 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been added by SIT, which took over the investigation of the case on Tuesday. Section 21 penalises not reporting sexual assault against minors despite the knowledge of the offence. While individuals face prison terms of up to six months, the heads of institutions failing to report an offence by their employees could be jailed for a year if found guilty of this charge.
The FIR comes after media reports, quoting the parents of the victims, the headmistress of the school, and government officials, revealed that the school management didn’t approach the police even after they were made aware of the alleged molestation. The opposition leaders had also claimed that the parents had to wait for hours at the Badlapur East police station to get the FIR registered. Three cops were subsequently suspended by the state government.
Claim Made By One Of The Members Of The School Management
Tushar Apte, a member of the school management on Thursday claimed that they didn’t come to know about the incident on August 16, when the complaint was registered. He said that on August 14 the headmistress had merely told him that the victim girl was “ill”, making no mention of the alleged crime.
After the matter was taken up suo motu by the Bombay High Court on Thursday, SIT head Inspector General of Police (IGP) Aarti Singh, along with the Badlapur police, rushed to the local police station to hold a meeting. The SIT, which comprises eight sub-teams with the best detention officers from across the Thane Commissionerate, has recorded the statements of both the minor victims and their parents. Detailed panchnamas made by the sub-teams will form a part of the charge sheet.
Meanwhile, a remand report by the Bhiwandi unit of Thane Crime Branch shows that the wife of Ashish Damle, a local NCP leader is among the 1,600 protesters booked for agitating on the railway tracks. While she is yet to be arrested, 23 others have been remanded to police custody for 23 days.
