Birbhum gang rape: SC seeks Bengal chief secretary's report

New Delhi, Jan 31: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the

chief secretary to submit a detailed report on the gang rape of a 19-year-old girl of Labpur village in

district.

Not being satisfied with the report sent by the Birbhum district judge, the apex court bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice M.Y. Eqbal said they did not find any information on the steps taken by the authorities in the matter.

"We don't find any information on the steps taken by the authorities in the matter," the court said in its order Friday.

Having said this, the court directed its registrar to forward the copy of the Birbhum district judge's report to the chief secretary of the West Bengal government.

The court said the chief secretary in turn would file a detailed report on the action taken by the police.

Giving two weeks' time to the chief secretary to submit the report, the court ordered the listing of the matter for Feb 14.

The apex court, Jan 24, had taken suo motu cognisance of the gangrape, describing it as "very disturbing". The court issued a notice to the Bengal government and sought a report from the district judge within a week.

It is alleged that the victim was gang raped on the orders of the village head as punishment for falling in love with a man from a different community.

IANS