The Supreme Court on Wednesday was apprised by the Delhi Police that a regular FIR has been registered in the issue relating to a 19-year-old woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted by her father when she was a minor.
A Bench of justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice CT Ravikumar was hearing the plea of the woman seeking direction to transfer the case registered on her complaint from Ambala to Delhi.
Advocate Akshita Goyal, appearing for the woman, told the apex court that the accused father was repeatedly calling the woman and he had also sent a message to her on WhatsApp yesterday.
Despite knowing that an FIR has been registered and the matter is pending before the Supreme Court, the accused is contacting the woman, Goyal told the Bench.
To this, the Bench asked the counsel appearing for the Police to look into this issue as well. Delhi police said they would provide all security measures to the woman which fall within their jurisdiction and it has registered a regular FIR in the matter.
Petitioner's counsel was told by the apex court that they can contact the concerned Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in this regard.
The counsel appearing for the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) said that the woman had visited the commission's office yesterday and she sought financial help, which will be provided to her.
"Your day-to-day problems can't be addressed by us here. It has to be addressed at the ground level by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and the Delhi Commission for Women. They are doing it. If they are not doing it, come to us and we will then issue directions to those authorities. Whatever is required as per law, they are doing," the apex court told the petitioner's counsel.
The matter is now posted for further hearing on October 21.
On Tuesday, the DCW told the top court that it will ensure holistic rehabilitation and legal support to the woman
Noting that the DCW is willing to provide help to the woman, the apex court had then asked the counsel appearing for the petitioner to interact with the officials of the DCW in this regard and tell all things so that they can take appropriate steps.
The petition has claimed that her father had sexually assaulted her when she was a minor. It said that as her mother had passed away in 2016, there is no one to look after her in the family.
She also sought direction to the DCW to look after the protection and her basic necessities as she fears for her safety.
As per the petition, the woman had left her home on July 22 and went to one of her relatives house and the next day, she had approached the DCW.
The plea said the woman had "escaped the clutches of her father" and mustered the courage to inform about her ordeal and sexual exploitation to the DCW and Delhi Police in July this year.
In the case, a zero FIR was lodged at Delhi in July and was subsequently transferred to Ambala. A zero FIR can be filed in any police station and it is then forwarded to the concerned police station under whose jurisdiction the alleged offence has been committed for necessary action.
( With inputs from ANI )
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