The Delhi police on Tuesday filed an FIR against Delhi Commission for Women chairman Swati Maliwal for reportedly revealing identity of the Burari rape victim.
The DCW chief had criticised the Delhi police for allegedly mishandling the Burari rape case and a day later the police took suo motu cognisance and filed an FIR against Ms Maliwal for revealing the identity of the 14-year-old dalit girl who was brutally raped in Burari and died at a hospital on Sunday.
The police said a notice sent by the DCW chief to the Burari station house officer on July 22, which was also revealed to the media, had allegedly mentioned the name of the rape victim.
The FIR against Ms Maliwal also mentioned the notice that mentioned the name of the victim was circulated on WhatsApp groups and displayed on a TV news channel. To cover up the mistake, the DCW immediately issued a fresh picture of the notice in which the name of the victim was covered by a whitener.
“A case was registered against Maliwal for revealing the name of the Burari rape victim under Section 228(a) (disclosure of identity of the victim of certain offences) of IPC, at the Burari police station on a complaint by the concerned SHO,” said a police officer.
Ms Maliwal has been at the forefront of raising the plight of the victim and criticised the Delhi police for not arresting the accused. She had also visited the victim on the day the DCW issued the notice to the Burari SHO.
In December, an FIR was registered against the main accused, Shiv Shankar, a neighbour of the victim, at the Burari police station under Sections 363, 376 IPC and provisions of the Pocso Act. He was arrested by the police on December 27. However, the accused was given bail as the victim retracted her allegations before a magistrate.
The police then filed a chargesheet in May, and a day before the victim was to give her statement in the court on May 16, she was again allegedly kidnapped, following which another FIR was registered.
Later, the victim alleged that she was kidnapped by the main accused’s maternal aunt and during confinement she was raped several times a day by Shiv Shankar. Her hands and feet were tied up and she was refused any food during the period. The victim had also alleged that Shiv Shankar along with his maternal aunt and uncle had fed her a corrosive substance mixed in a soft drink. The point was also mentioned in a complaint by the victim’s father to the Burari police station on July 15. After the DCW notice, the accused was arrested by the police on July 22.
Ms Maliwal took to Twitter to respond to the FIR filed against her. “My fault: Raised questions on failure of Delhi Police in protecting 14 year old girl. Will raise more issues. Not scared of FIR. Jai Hind.”
“Firstly, not released name of victim. Instead ensured proper medical care in Pvt Hospital. Police arrested accused only after DCW Notice. Also, why shud rape victim hide her identity Shouldn’t rapists be hiding Is it the shame of a victim that she was subjected to cruelty ” she said in a series of tweets.
