Ahead of SC hearing tomorrow, police in Gurgaon arrest three for alleged sexual assault of 3-year-old

The child was subjected to repeated sexual assault during December and January by two female domestic helps and an unidentified male accomplice, according to the FIR registered on February 4, The Indian Express reported on Saturday.  As per the petition, the male accused, who is allegedly the husband of one of the maids, had committed the sexual assault.

Sources said one of the two domestic helps worked at the family’s home while the other worked in their neighbour’s home.

The plea by the child’s parents sought transfer of the investigation to the CBI or an SIT, citing inaction by the police despite the minor identifying the accused women multiple times.

On the delay in arrest, ASI Kumar said, “No exact time and date of the incident was mentioned by the complainant. The incident was stated by the complainant to have occurred at some point during a period of about one month. Therefore, an intensive probe was conducted. Counseling of the victim child was conducted through the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and a medical examination was performed, in which no clear evidence regarding the incident was initially obtained.”

He added, “Call detail records of the accused were obtained.  CCTV footage was collected. Technical analysis of the mobile phones of the accused was conducted.”

In the petition mentioned before CJI Surya Kant  by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi on Friday, it was alleged that the Investigating Officer (IO) had actively tried to dissuade the child’s mother from filing the FIR.

The IO was later suspended (and arrested) in a separate case for allegedly demanding a bribe to settle another sexual assault matter, the court was told.

The parents contended that the police had shown no meaningful progress, leaving the family, including the child who is under psychiatric care, in distress. “Words cannot describe the devastation that any parent undergoes upon learning that their child has been subjected to such brutality. The child has been repeatedly questioned and made to recount the traumatic events on multiple occasions, which has caused severe emotional distress. She is presently undergoing therapy, where professionals are working with her to help her gradually forget the incident and rebuild a sense of safety and normalcy,” read the plea.

While mentioning the plea, Rohatgi told the court on Friday, “The parents are running from pillar to post. Not a thing has happened in four weeks.” The petition was submitted in the court on March 17.

Meanwhile, ASI Kumar on Saturday said the FIR sections have been modified. “After an intensive probe, Section 6 POCSO [Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault] and Section 65(2) BNS [Punishment for rape on a girl under twelve years of age] were removed, and Section 10 POCSO [Aggravated Sexual Assault], Section 137(2) BNS [Punishment for kidnapping], and Section 115(2) BNS [Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt] were added. ..The accused will be produced in court on Sunday…”