Cop unaware of Act, delays filing of FIR against accused

BHOPAL: In an interesting event that has come to light, a law enforcing officer has pleaded ignorance about the existence of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act and declined to register the FIR against the accused.
This came to fore during a hearing in a special bench of the child’s panel on Wednesday when a thana in charge of a neighbouring district pleaded ignorance about the provisions of the act in a child sexual abuse case.
An inspector from Shamsabad in Vidisha was summoned by the state commission for protection of child rights (SCPCR) at a special bench on Wednesday in connection to a sexual abuse case of two cousin brothers staying in a residential school by their school principal Rupesh Arya.
SCPCR chairperson Usha Chaturvedi said, “This is the first time that a case falling under the act was heard. The cousins approached the commission on November 3 after the police declined to register an FIR in the case.
The SCPCR had then directed the thana in charge Shamsabad to immediately register an FIR as per the provisions of the act.”
The cop from Shamsabad, Rajveer Singh Kushwaha appeared before the commission on Wednesday and pleaded ignorance about the provisions of the act. He was also provided with a copy of the act.
A case has now been registered under section 377 of the IPC (unnatural offences) and the medical examination of the children has also been done. But the commission was displeased by the fact that the examination happened four days after the incident.
“The police personnel has been instructed to nab the absconding principal Arya within two days. Also, it would be probed whether the accused holds any recorded objectionable material involving children. He was caught in a pornographic films racket back in 2006, hence the possibility needs to be explored,” said Chaturvedi.
In all, 22 cases were heard at the special bench of the commission on Wednesday. The bench comprised chairperson Usha Chaturvedi and members R H Lata, Vibhanshu Joshi, Reeta Upamanyu and Asha Yadav.