Sent girl to study,not work at Thapar’s house: Father

However,in her statement before a local court,the girl had claimed that she was working as domestic help at Thapar’s house,where she the BJP leader,her husband and son used to beat her up. Twice she fled from the house,but her father handed her over to Thapar again,she added.

She even refused to stay with her parents and was thus sent to the Nari Niketan here. The girl also told the police that she was working as domestic help for the last three years at Thapar’s residence.

SHO Rajinder Sharma of police division 5 said,“The father said he had sent the girl to Renu Thapar’s house to study and not work as a domestic help… As she told the magistrate that she will neither stay with her parents nor with Renu Thapar,the only option was to keep her at Nari Niketan.”

When contacted,ACP

R P S Sandu said that the statements of the girl’s parents have been forwarded to the Ludhiana police.

Meanwhile,ASI Malkit Singh has been suspended on Saturday for recording the girl’s statement in uniform in the absence of a woman police officer at 11.30 pm on Friday. Later,ASI Parminder Kaur (in uniform) recorded her statement again. The criminal procedure code bars a woman being taken to police station after sunset. Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act states that a police officer should always be in plain clothes while dealing with children.

Remove BJP Mahila Morcha chief: Cong

Demanding that Thapar be immediately removed,Mehta said: “The BJP shying away from giving any statement on the matter indicates that the party does not object to child labour or abuse… Renu Thapar must be booked under child labour laws.”