Delhi minor rape: Court to hear plea against policemen

New Delhi: A Delhi court will hear a plea on Monday seeking registration of an FIR against policemen accused of dereliction of duty in the rape case of a five-year-old girl.

Assistant Commissioner of Police BS Alhawat was suspended after he was caught on camera slapping a young woman during a protest against the rape of the minor girl at Delhi's Dayanand Hospital.

In an another development in the case, a vigilance inquiry by the Delhi Police has found fault with the SHO of Gandhinagar Police Station in Delhi for alleged lapses in the investigation into the rape of the five-year-old girl. Sources said on Sunday the SHO has been found prima facie guilty of dereliction of duty. The report has been submitted to Commissioner Neeraj Kumar. The family had alleged that the police did not pursue the complaint vigorously after the girl's missing was reported.

Sources said the inquiry has established whereall the policemen have committed acts of omission and commission. A departmental inquiry has been initiated against SHO Dharampal Singh who was suspended along with investigating officer sub-inspector Mahavir Singh. The vigilance team also found out that after missing complaint was filed, police did not visit the house.

Two persons have been arrested for raping the five-year-old girl on April 15, 2013 in a building in east Delhi's Gandhinagar locality where the girl and the accused lived. The girl was rescued 40 hours later on April 17 and is now recuperating at the AIIMS. Manoj Sah had told interrogators that on April 15, his friend Pradeep had come to his house and they had consumed alcohol.

Manoj claimed that Pradeep insisted on bringing a girl to the house and he went out and lured the girl with a chocolate. He had also claimed that they fled from the house after strangulating her to avoid being identified and thought that she was dead. The girl's family had alleged that the cops had offered them Rs 2,000 to hush up the case and made insensitive remarks when they reported the matter.

(With additional information from PTI)