SC forms SIT of 3 women IPS to probe Gurugram four-year-old rape case
SC forms SIT of 3 women IPS to probe Gurugram four-year-old rape case
The Supreme Court orders a new SIT of senior women IPS officers to lead the Gurugram rape inquiry, citing trauma to the child and lapses by initial investigators.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday formed a special investigation team comprising three senior women IPS officers to take over the inquiry into the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old girl in Gurugram. The bench expressed shock at the insensitive, reckless and irresponsible handling of the case during the initial probe, warning that the trauma suffered by the child had been repeatedly multiplied by the manner in which the investigation was conducted. It ordered a complete overhaul of the investigation and directed the Gurugram police to hand over all papers to the new SIT without delay.
The court took suo motu note of the procedural lapses and issued show-cause notices to police officers involved in the initial probe. It also sought explanations from members of the Child Welfare Committee over their February report and asked the government’s Women and Child Development department to justify the basis of their appointments, raising questions about their qualifications. A doctor from a private hospital who examined the child was asked to explain the reliability of the medical report in the record.
The bench stressed that the SIT would operate independently of the current investigation team, with the police commissioner, the investigating officer and others named in the record being disassociated from the probe. The move signals a shift toward a more trauma-informed, accountable approach to handling sensitive cases involving young victims, and a clearer expectation that all parties involved act with due care and professionalism.
As the new SIT begins its work, authorities, advocates and the public await a transparent, time-bound investigation that centers the child’s welfare and seeks accountability for any lapses in the earlier handling of the case.
