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 female-led SIT and disciplinary action as it condemns how a four-year-old survivor's case was investigated in Gurugram.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday constituted a special investigation team comprising senior women IPS officers to probe the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old girl in Gurugram. The bench said the trauma of the child was multiplied by insensitive, reckless and irresponsible methods of investigation, and it ordered a complete overhaul of the inquiry. The SIT, to be led by three women IPS officers, will take over from the Gurugram police immediately, with existing papers handed to the new team. The police commissioner, investigating officer, and other officials named in the record were disassociated from the probe as the case moves to a more sensitive and survivor-centric investigation.
The bench also issued show-cause notices to police officers involved in the initial probe, asking why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them. It sought explanations from members of the Child Welfare Committee over their February 6 report and directed the Haryana government’s principal secretary (women and child development) to explain the basis of the committee’s appointment, raising doubts about their qualifications and competence. A doctor from a private hospital who examined the child was asked to explain why her medical report was used, signaling a demand for greater accountability in medical and investigative steps in cases involving young survivors.
The court described the handling of the case as completely unlawful and reckless, stressing that authorities must learn from the trauma endured by the child. The ruling underscores a broader push for swifter, more sensitive action in crimes against children and signals that reforms are underway to prevent repeated victimisation during investigations.
