Shahdara gangrape case: NGO claims not allowed to meet woman, HC asks why it wants to

“The process of the court cannot be used by an NGO to impose itself on the victim. We cannot allow somebody to paradrop through the process of the court. The case is communally sensitive. It can lead to larger ramifications,” submitted police.

The court asked the NGO whether it has been approached by the victim, and said the state is sensitive to the issue. “For what purpose can you contact the victim? What locus do you have,” it said, while listing the case in April.

The court also took exception to the United Sikhs’ counsel’s submission that it will provide “best of” legal assistance to the victim and said the same amounted to undermining the legal aid and system of court. “I fail to understand how he [the counsel] can undermine the authority of DLSA and question the wisdom of DLSA,” it said.

On January 26, a young woman was abducted, allegedly gangraped by her neighbours, and paraded on the streets. The accused also allegedly assaulted the woman with weapons and blackened her face. Several videos of the incident went viral on social media where the family can be purportedly seen thrashing and harassing the victim inside their home and on the streets.

According to police, the family held her responsible for the death of one of their relatives — a teenager who was allegedly stalking the woman and proposed to her, which she rejected.

A number of men and women have been arrested in the case.