Child sex racket in Chhattisgarh; Jogi demands probe

Raipur, June 20 (UNI) A child sex racket, involving girls belonging to the most backward Pahadi Korva tribe, has come to light after a 12 year old inmate of a tribal residential school alleged that she was sexually exploited by an official in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh.

The victim, a fifth standard student, and her parents narrated the incident to newsmen at the residence of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, who termed it as a sex racket involving local politicians and government officials.

After the incident came to light, Mr Jogi said, police at Bagicha in Jashpur district registered a First Information Report (FIR) mentioning that a 'woman' was abducted. It later arrested one Illiyas.

Alleging that the police was trying to cover up the case, he claimed that a government official involved in the offence had paid money to Illiyas to own up the crime.

''We have information that the official concerned withdrew Rs three lakh from his bank account on the same day Illiyas was arrested'', Mr Jogi said,adding the police initially refused to entertain the complaint but lodged an FIR after local party workers of both BJP and the Congress pressed for it.

Quoting the victim and her parents, Mr Jogi said the girl studying at an 'Ashram Shala'- residential school- was taken to a village by Illiyas saying that hostel cook Savitri wanted to meet her. On the same night, she was taken to a senior official's residence where she was sexually assaulted.

''We came to know from the villagers that someone had taken our daughter to another village. Later, we came to know about the whole incident'', the victim's parents said.

Alleging that this was not an isolated case, the former Chief Minister said the local administration had become active after this case came to light and a number of government officials were now visiting the families of other hostel inmates offering them money to keep quiet.

Referring to BJP leaders' statement that Congressmen were also involved in the sex racket, Mr Jogi demanded a probe and arrest of all those involved in child sex racket, irrespective of their political affiliations and status.

''We are also taking up the matter with the National Women Commission'', he said and urged the Dr Raman Singh government to take immediate steps to unearth the sex racket involving influential people in Jashpur district.

UNI