The Calcutta High Court has directed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to initiate departmental proceedings against three top police officers for “mishandling” the preliminary probe into the alleged rape of an IAS officer’s wife.
Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj stated that he found “glaring negligence” by the investigating team. He said that the case was assigned to a male officer against the law and the severe charges were replaced with mild clauses, which paved the way for the accused’s initial bail by a lower court. However, the High Court has overturned the lower court’s decision and has rejected the accused’s bail.
The incident took place on July 14 and 15. The victim has claimed that the accused entered her home around 11.30 pm and raped her at gunpoint. She further claimed that she was made to wait to file an FIR against the accused and that minor charges were levelled against the accused despite the grave nature of the crime.
The woman claimed she was pressured to withdraw her complaint by the accused’s wife and her son. She stated that the police refused to take the CCTV footage which showed the accused entering her house.
Justice Bharadwaj observed that the FIR filed against the accused undermined the seriousness of the sexual assault allegation. He ordered a fresh investigation into the matter, and has asked for action to be taken against the three police officials.
