Ambala ‘gangrape victims’ stick to accusations

The trio have reiterated the accusations of inhuman treatment meted out to them at the police station. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Augustine George Masih has accepted the affidavit and adjourned the case for three weeks,awaiting the inquiry report of the Ambala Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM),who too is conducting an investigation into the case.

“Our legs were crushed under rollers. We were raped by eight police persons for over a fortnight. We were thrashed mercilessly and kept in illegal detention. My five-year-old daughter was beaten with an iron rod,” reads the statements of two of the victims recorded by the SP.

The third victim has submitted that the gangrape resulted in her pregnancy,which was terminated a week ago. “My husband was also beaten mercilessly by the Ambala Police,” reads the third victim’s statement.

The SP has annexed the statements of the three victims and stated in the affidavit that he along with the women constables had met the trio on January 27,29 and 30. The SP has submitted that despite his persistent efforts,the three victims did not give their statements in writing and failed to give specific information as to who all had raped them.

The case has been adjourned for three weeks,giving the Ambala CJM time to complete the probe and submit a copy of the report to the High Court. Orally observing that officers are summoned by the High Court in view of public interest,the acting Chief Justice remarked that there would be complete independence when it comes to judicial functioning.

The developments took place during the resumed hearing of a suo motu cognisance of a letter written by the victims to the Chief Justice of the High Court. The letter,which accused Ambala Police officers of gangrape and third degree torture,was converted into a public interest litigation (PIL).