Justice Delayed: NHRC intervenes

PANJIM: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to DIG Ujjwal Mishra asking him to submit the report about the alleged rape of a girl in Colva and the subsequent delay in registering an FIR within four weeks.



In case of a delay or default to submitthe requisite information /report within 4 weeks from the date of receipt of this notice, then the Commission has warned that they may proceed to take such action as it deems proper.

An intimation/ complaint was send to Chairperson, NHRC on July 6, 2007 by advocate Norma Alvares after reading the story in GT, wherein she stated that the enquiry and investigations appear to have come to a standstill because the accused has high political connections.



It must be recollected that on May 2, victim girl Ritika was allegedly picked up by Agnel and Anthony (both known to her) around 7.30 pm and taken to a flat in Chinchinim in a green coloured Zen, where she was allegedly raped and accused for four days.

DIG Ujjwal Mishra had admitted that they would conduct an inquiry against the Colva police for delay in registering a complaint of rape made by the 21-year-old girl. "It was very wrong on the part of the PI and he should have registered the complaint," Mishra had said.

The victim girl Ritika (name changed) had informed the Colva police about the incident on May 5, but the complaint was registered eight days later after most of the evidence was destroyed. The SP (South) was then instructed to conduct an inquiry and submit a report. "We will take departmental action. There was definitely a delay in registering the complaint," Mishra had added.

Ritika alleged that the police refused to register her complaint and on the contrary tried to broker a compromise between her and the main accused with the help of local MLA Miccky Pacheco.

Norma in her letter to the NHRC expressed fear that the police enquiry into this matter is dormant since, as already demonstrated, the accused is able to bring pressure on the local police and influence the course of justice. Or the investigation, if it is ever conducted, may just be eyewash leaving the girl doubly penalized: first by the abduction and rape and then by the fact that the culprits have gone scot-free, she stated, asking NHRC to order an impartial and independent inquiry into the incident.

The matter was then placed before the Commission on July 2, 2007 and on perusing the complaint the Commission passed an order to issue notice to the concerned authorities calling for a report within four weeks.



(Name of victim girl changed to protect identity)

An earlier version of the story appeared in Gomantak Times, Panjim edition dated August 8th 2007)