Vigilance report reveals lapses

According to the report, proper liaison is required between the PCR staff and the concerned police station. “SHO and supervisory offices of a police station do not know which officers are posted in which PCR vehicle. Senior officers did not know about the duty roaster of the five accused and so they took advantage of it.”

Officers of the vigilance wing could not find anything from the GPS locations of the PCR vehicles. “In some vehicles, the GPS was defunct and in others it was not installed. We could not gather anything from the GPS locations. However, through mobile tower locations and statements of the victim, it was ascertained that the accused had used the PCR vehicles to ferry the victim. However, she was not raped in any vehicle”, a source said.

The officer said, “According the norms, a counselor should have been present at the police station during investigation of the case to make sure that the victim does not feel pressurised. Someone should have explained the entire situation to the victim.”

After the victim turned hostile in the court of an additional sessions judge, a vigilance officer told Newsline, “The victim never wanted to go into litigation. In her statement recorded with the vigilance officers, she said that she was dragged into the situation. Her statements clearly indicate that the five constable were at fault. As per our reports, the accused are guilty.”

The officers, however,  said that the matter could have been resolved amicably if there was no political interference and if certain precautions were taken by supervisory officers. “The girl had told us the same thing she told the court. She wanted to marry one of the accused, Akshay,” the source added.