Police allegedly covered up a 7-month-old gang rape case of a minor. Investigation of child sexual abuse ignored rules; gang rape mention avoided. Victim's new testimony questions police role.
A 16-year-old schoolgirl was abducted by a woman, held for three days, and brutally gang-raped by five men for money after being drugged. The Cantonment Police allegedly tried to cover up the crime against the girl from a backward community and are accused of defending the accused. The 16-year-old victim, who lives with her grandmother, was abducted on September 18, 2024, by Jayshree Sonawane, an acquaintance of her grandmother, under the pretense of needing her for some work. From the very start, the victim was drugged with an injection. For two days in Nashik, the victim was raped by Jayshree’s friend, Jaypal Prakash Rajput, and another man. When the victim regained consciousness, she was found half-naked in a warehouse. On September 19, the victim was again raped by three men in another warehouse.
Kept unconscious for 3 days
Once the victim regained consciousness, she found Jayshree was also drugged and unconscious. In a half-naked state, the victim sought help from passing motorists. A car driver called her family, and with his help, the victim reached Sindkheda Police Station.
Serious Errors by Police, What Were Their Intentions?
• When the Sindkheda Police contacted them, the Cantonment Police took the victim and her brother with them and lodged an abduction case.
• According to the victim’s statement, Investigating Officer Sub-Inspector Sopan Narlay took the victim’s statement alone, which is against the law. Under the POCSO Act, a female family member or a member of the women’s committee should be present when a minor gives a statement. However, the police conveniently ignored this rule.
• The victim was also not allowed to read her statement, which is mandatory under the law.
• Despite the victim belonging to a backward community, the police did not apply the provisions of the Atrocities Act.
No evidence collected during the inspection with the accused
Under the POCSO Act, during the investigation, the victim must be accompanied by a female family member when inspecting the scene. However, the police took the victim alone, and, shockingly, they took the accused, Jayshree, with them. The victim narrated the sequence of events, but the police did not collect any evidence from the scene. The law mandates that the inspection be recorded on camera, but the police failed to do so, as confirmed by the victim’s statement.
Accused left free despite court testimony
The victim testified before the court under Section 164, stating that four to five men had raped her. However, the police restricted the investigation to just Jayshree and Jaypal, leaving other accused persons uninvestigated and free.