Kolkata: The West Bengal Police are facing renewed scrutiny following serious allegations that they assaulted the wife of an IAS officer at gunpoint in the Lake Police Station area of South Kolkata. The Kolkata High Court has reprimanded the police, highlighting significant concerns regarding the transparency of the investigation.
In a recent ruling, the High Court transferred the investigation to an officer from Deputy Commissioner Laver’s office and dismissed the bail application of the accused. The court criticized the police for their handling of the case and directed action against five officers in addition to the officer in charge.
Accusations have emerged that the police initially downgraded the severity of the case by registering a minor First Information Report (FIR). The court questioned why CCTV footage was not reviewed despite the victim’s claims of being threatened within the police station and why a medical examination was not conducted immediately following the incident.
The victim alleges that she was raped twice within seven hours. She stated that on July 14 at 11:30 p.m. and again at 6:30 a.m. the following day, the accused entered her home and raped her while holding a gun to her head. She further accuses the police of manipulating the charge sheet to weaken her case.
Additionally, the victim claims that the accused’s wife and son pressured her to withdraw her complaint. She also alleged that the police refused to obtain CCTV footage showing the accused entering and exiting his residence. The victim informed the High Court that she sought a medical examination at a government hospital on her own initiative.
In response, the counsel for the Kolkata Police stated that the victim initially reported the incident via WhatsApp and subsequently filed a written complaint around 6:30 p.m. on July 15. A female officer from Kariya Police Station was dispatched to the Lake Police Station on July 16 to take the victim’s statement on video, as there was no female investigating officer present at the Lake Police Station on the day of the complaint.
The police counsel further noted that the victim underwent a medical examination at a government hospital, and the report documented injuries on various parts of her body. However, they asserted that the medical report did not find evidence supporting the rape allegations.
The Kolkata High Court’s intervention emphasizes the need for greater accountability and transparency within the police force, particularly in handling sensitive and grave allegations such as these.
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