An 18-year-old Dalit gang rape victim has levelled a grave allegations against a magistrate in Hindaun city in Rajasthan’s Karauli district and charged him with asking her to remove her clothes in a closed room, on the pretext of examining her injuries. Now, a First Information Report has been registered against him at the Kotwalai police station in relation to the incident.
The accused, who is not named in the official report is the subject of an official complaint lodged under Section 354 along with other Indian Penal Code sections as well as the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The gang rape was reportedly committed on 19th March by some young accused, according to the authorities, after which the victim’s family went to court and a case was submitted at the Hindaun Sadar police station on 27th March following the court’s directions. She was brought by the police for a medical examination and on 30th March she appeared in the magistrate’s court to record her statement under Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 164.
“After recording my statement, the magistrate asked me to take off my clothes,” stated the complaint. It further added that the magistrate asked, “I want to see the injury marks on your body,” to which she replied, “You are a man. I would have shown if there was a female magistrate instead.” However, he persisted, “I want to see the injury marks on your body.” Police officers and members of the victim’s family were reportedly instructed to wait outside the room by the magistrate.
The magistrate sent the victim out of the chamber when she refused to undress. She then told her mother and brother about the instance and went to the Hindaun City Superintendent of Police to submit a complaint against the magistrate and demand accountability. Afterward, the SP obtained the order to proceed with a complaint against the magistrate.
An investigation has been ordered by the Rajasthan High Court after it took notice of the case. Women’s groups and human rights organizations also voiced their concern. Ajay Chaudhary, the Vigilance Registrar of the Rajasthan High Court arrived in Hindaun City and questioned the magistrate for three hours in a closed room. Furthermore, he made calls to other judges and well-known lawyers of the court to gather details regarding the judge’s actions.
The deputy superintendent of the Karauli ST-SC cell, Mina Meena, has taken over the probe. He noted, “She refused to strip and after recording the statement in the court on March 30, she registered a complaint against the magistrate. The case was registered with Kotwali Police Station under charges of outraging modesty.” A senior cop informed, “The investigation is ongoing, and the survivor’s statement under Section 164 of the CrPC will be recorded before further action is taken.”
