Bangalore: Why Do Police Take Perpetrators' Side in Rape Cases? - Chief Justice
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Nov 8: With series of rape incidents hitting media limelight, the Karnataka High Court has directed the state police to submit a status report on the investigations into recent incidents of rape in the city by November 22.
A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen gave the directive on Thursday during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by advocate M K Vijaykumar.
The petitioner had sought a direction to the police to strictly follow the directions and guidelines issued by the High Court and the Supreme Court while investigating rape and gang-rape incidents.
The advocate in his petition had also asked the court to direct police officers not to be influenced by politicians while carrying out investigation of rape and gang-rape incidents.
The High Court had earlier issued notice to the Centre and State authorities on the PIL.
During the course of the hearing, the Chief Justice observed, “I never understand why the police always seem to take the side of the perpetrators rather than the victims whether it is in Haryana or Karnataka.”
The petition had been filed in the backdrop of two incidents of alleged gang-rape of a law student from Nepal and three bar girls by a group of persons in the city recently.
Police have arrested eight persons in connection with the rape of the Nepali student, who incidentally was the main reason behind arrest of the culprits as she gave a detailed and rather accurate description to the police sketch artists.