Himachal: HC seeks status report on rape case against Una official
A case has been registered under Sections 69 and 351 of BNS in police station Una Sadar, said Una police
Himachal Pradesh high court (HC) has sought the status report from police with regards to the case registered against an administrative officer posted in Una district who had been booked on a complaint of a woman who accused him of sexual exploitation on the pretext of marriage.
The accused officer had moved the HC seeking anticipatory bail that was on Thursday listed before the court of Justice Rakesh Kainthla.
“The anticipatory bail filed by the Una official was taken up by the HC on Thursday. The court has sought a status report from the police as all they could produce today before the court was just the copy of the FIR,” said advocate Hirdaya Ram Chauhan who represented the accused.
All attempts to reach out to the officer remained futile.
“We are ready to join the investigation and fully co-operate. My client has no criminal case registered against him and Una was his third posting. The police have been asked to produce the status report on September 26,” the advocate said.
The victim — a national level athlete — in her complaint to the police, alleged that she interacted with the officer on social media and he invited her to his office several times on the pretext of discussing sports. She further said that about 45 days back, when she visited his office, he allegedly took her to his personal room and proposed her for marriage and forcibly had physical relations with her after she resisted his physical overturns. Ten days later, the officer booked a room in the Una Rest House in someone else’s name, where he again tried to get intimate with her, she said. When the woman threatened to complain, the official began blackmailing her with a video he made in the office and gradually reduced his communication with her, she alleged.
“We have received a complaint from a woman who alleged being raped on pretext of marriage. A case has been registered under Sections 69 and 351 of BNS in police station Una Sadar,” Una SP Amit Yadav had said on Wednesday, adding that the matter is under investigation.
Matter should be dealt with utmost sensitivity: Women’s commission to SP Una
The Himachal Pradesh State Commission for Women has taken serious notice of allegations.
Commission chairperson Vidya Negi said on Thursday that she had called the Una SP and took details of the case as well as the complaint. “I have directed the SP to ensure a fair and impartial investigation as the case is against the HAS officer and the matter should be dealt with utmost sensitivity. The SP assured me of fair investigations,” said Negi while talking to HT on the phone.
She added, “The complainant has mentioned that she had filed a complaint with the woman commission but the same was withdrawn allegedly under pressure from the accused.”
