Gurugram: Taking serious note of alleged lapses in the handling of a minor’s sexual assault case in Gurugram, the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising three senior women IPS officers to carry out an independent probe.
A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, also issued show-cause notices to officers of the Gurugram Police involved in the investigation. The court asked them to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated over their handling of the case.
In addition, members of the Child Welfare Committee have been directed to respond to the court on why they should not be removed, with the Bench expressing concern over what it termed as an insensitive approach toward the victim.
The court has ordered the Gurugram Police to transfer all records related to the investigation to the SIT by Thursday. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on April 6.
The Bench also sought an explanation from a doctor associated with Max Hospital regarding changes made to a medical report after the court took cognisance of the case.
The proceedings stem from a petition filed by the victim’s parents, who had sought either a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation or an SIT, citing concerns over the integrity of the initial investigation.
Earlier this week, the apex court had expressed shock over the manner in which the case was handled. During the hearing, the Bench sharply criticised the police after noting that the alleged offence had been downgraded from ‘aggravated penetrative sexual assault’ under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 to a lesser charge of ‘aggravated sexual assault’.
Describing the situation as “deeply disturbing,” the court questioned the conduct of the investigating officials and highlighted procedural lapses, including delays in registering the complaint and lack of sensitivity in dealing with the child and her family.
The Police Commissioner and the investigating officer appeared before the court with case records, as directed earlier. The Bench further ordered that all identifying details of the victim, her family, and her school be removed from official records to safeguard her privacy.
The case has already seen arrests, with two women employed as domestic help and a male associate taken into custody over the weekend.
The court’s intervention signals a push for accountability and a more rigorous investigation, as concerns mount over how cases involving vulnerable victims are handled even in major urban centres.
