21-year-old alleges gangrape by ex-Andaman Chief Secretary, Labour officer; SIT is set up

The two officers the victim has accused of rape, and who are named in the FIR, are: Jitendra Narain, who was Chief Secretary of A&N Islands until three months ago when the alleged incident occurred and R L Rishi, posted as Labour Commissioner in A&N Islands.

Narain is currently Chairman & Managing Director of the Delhi Financial Corporation. When contacted in New Delhi, Narain said he would not like to comment on the “absurd” allegations. Sources close to him said he has sent a “detailed representation” to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Union Home Secretary, among others, denying the charges.

Rishi was unavailable for comment and his office told The Indian Express that he was on “medical leave.” The Indian Express has confirmed that the licence plate of the car mentioned by the woman – in which she was taken to Narain’s house — is registered in Rishi’s name.

In the FIR (No. 165/2022) , the complainant has asked that CCTV footage from Narain’s house should be collected and that she would identify his staff who should also be questioned.

The woman’s complaint, accessed by The Indian Express, gives a detailed account of the violent sexual attack on her on two occasions at night in April and May at Narain’s official residence in Port Blair.

In her complaint, the woman has said that in search of a job, she was introduced to the Labour Commissioner through a hotel owner and the Commissioner took her to the residence of the Chief  Secretary. There, she said, she was offered liquor which she refused and was assured government employment. Subsequently, she alleged, she was brutally and sexually abused by the two men.

Two weeks later, she alleged in the complaint, she was again called at 9 pm by them to the Chief Secretary’s residence and the assault was repeated. Instead of the promised government job, she alleged, she was threatened with dire consequences if she spoke about the matter to anyone.

Sources said the SIT team have got a new office and will handle the probe in a “fair and time-bound” manner.  A Section 164 CrPC (confessional statement) of the woman has been recorded by the SIT as well as by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Port Blair where she filed a second complaint. A relative of the woman said that they will appeal for the Section 164 statement to be recorded again via video-conferencing as a “precaution.”

The scope of the probe has also been widened to include the alleged role of a local news channel reporter, who is alleged to have broadcast hints about the woman’s identity as well as a police inspector who allegedly “leaked information” of the case to her. This follows a separate police complaint filed by the woman on how her identity was being disclosed via members of the local media.

Narain has reportedly claimed, in his written denials, that the accusations were at the behest of local officers against whom he had taken action as Chief Secretary and they were behind a “malicious” campaign against him. He has said he would fully cooperate with the police and was willing to face trial.