The Calcutta High Court has sharply criticized the Kolkata police for their handling of an alleged rape case involving the wife of an IAS officer. The court condemned the police for multiple instances of negligence, including weak charges and intimidation of the victim, and has ordered a fresh investigation into the case.
The case centers around an incident that occurred on the nights of July 14 and 15, when the accused reportedly entered the victim’s home at 11:30 pm and raped her at gunpoint. Despite the severity of the crime, the victim faced significant delays and obstacles when she reported the assault to the Lake police station the following afternoon. She was made to wait for hours before her complaint was registered, and the First Information Report (FIR) was filed under less severe charges, undermining the gravity of the crime.
Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj, presiding over the case, noted that the initial investigation lacked transparency and fairness. The court highlighted that the FIR was registered using weaker sections of the law and that the charge sheet was allegedly tampered with. Additionally, the police failed to conduct a timely medical examination of the victim, a critical step in such cases.
The accused was initially arrested but was granted bail by a lower court shortly after being produced. He was later granted anticipatory bail in another related case. However, on Friday, the Calcutta High Court intervened, revoking both the bail and anticipatory bail. The investigation has now been reassigned to a female officer of Deputy Commissioner rank from Lalbazar.
The victim has also accused the police of intimidation, alleging that the accused’s wife and son were brought to the police station to pressure her into withdrawing her complaint. She further claimed that the police delayed their investigation, taking over 24 hours to visit her residence and collect evidence. The victim had to go to the hospital on her own for a medical examination, as the investigating officer failed to arrange one. Shockingly, she was informed that her official medical examination would take place on August 20, 35 days after the assault.
In response, Justice Bharadwaj has directed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to take disciplinary action against the officer-in-charge of the Lake police station, along with a sub-inspector, a sergeant, and three female officers involved in the mishandling of the case.
The state government, meanwhile, provided a different version of events, claiming that the victim arrived at the police station on July 15 at 2:15 pm and filed her complaint, following which she also sent a WhatsApp message to the police. They noted discrepancies between her oral and written statements, and a female officer from the Karaya police station was brought in to assist, as there was no female officer available at the Lake police station that day.
The High Court’s directive for a new investigation seeks to ensure a more transparent and fair inquiry into the case.
