Chhattisgarh: 16 women allegedly raped by policemen, NHRC issues notice

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission has sent a notice to
Chhattisgarh government over alleged rape, sexual and physical assault
of 16 women by the state police personnel, and observed the government
is “vicariously liable” for it.

The Commission, in a statement on Saturday also said that it awaits the recorded statement of about “20 other victims”.

“The
NHRC has found 16 women, prima facie, victims of rape, sexual and
physical assault by the state police personnel in Chhattisgarh,” it
said.

The
Commission has issued the notice to the “government through its Chief
Secretary, to show cause why it should not recommend interim monetary
relief of Rs 37 lakh to them.

The
Commission said that after careful consideration of the material on
record, it found that there are in “total 34 victims mentioned in
police complaints.”

“The
material includes copies of statement of victims recorded by the NHRC
Team as well as those recorded u/s 164 CrPC in case FIR No. 22/15, FIR
No. 2/16 and FIR No. 3/16 in respect of 15 victims, sent by the IGP,
Police Headquarters, Raipur vide letter dated November 12, 2016,” the
NHRC said in the statement.

The
Commission has also noted that the NHRC Team “could record the
statements of only 14 victims out of the 34 victims mentioned in the
FIRs. Thus, statements of 20 victims are yet to be recorded by it.”

“The
statements u/s 164 CrPC have been recorded by the magistrate only in
respect of 15 victims. Thus, statements of 19 more victims are yet to
be recorded.

“Almost
all the victims in these incidents, covered under the three FIRs, are
tribals. However, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act has not been invoked in any of the cases. As a result
of this, the due monetary relief under the SC/ST (PoA) Act has not been
paid to the victims,” it added.