HC asks CBI of action taken in Sarita rape case

Chandigarh, Jul 2 (UNI) The Punjab and Haryana High Court here today asked the CBI to apprise it by July 18 about the action taken by the agency on the request of the Haryana Government for a comprehensive probe into the rape of Sarita of Rohtak allegedly by police personnel and her subsequent suicide.

The orders by the division bench of the Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Mahesh Grover came during the resumed hearing of the matter which is now before the court following a suo moto notice taken by Justice Ranjit Singh during the summer break in June.

Media reports say about the events leading to Sarita's suicide at Haryana police headquarters in Panchkula took place because of the failure of the police to take action against the accused police personnel of Rohtak.

Two police personnel of Rohtak had allegedly raped her on April 10, 2008 in the criminal investigating agency (CIA) staff room after being summoned in connection with the arrest of her husband Subhash in a case of theft.

Haryana Additional Advocate General M L Saggar submitted an affidavit from S K Joshi, Special Secretary, Home Department, Haryana, about the action taken by the authorities against the accused police officials head constable Balraj Singh and Silak Ram of CIA staff Rohtak, including their arrest and dismissal from service.

The status report on the investigation conducted by Swaranjit Singh, Haryana's Additional Director General Police, Human Rights and litigation, into the incident on the directions of the High Court vacation bench of Justice Permod Kohli and Rakesh Kumar Garg, has also been annexed to the affidavit.

It is broadly critical of the conduct of almost all the gazette officers of police then posted at Rohtak, except Anil Dawra, the IGP Rohtak range, for failure to take cognizance of the serious nature of the incident and expected timely action against the accused police personnel.

The bench has directed the Haryana Government to place on record before the next date of hearing on July 18 the report of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Karnal, on the viscera of the deceased Sarita.

UNI XC VKJ SR CS2144