JAIPUR: Two policemen of Jalore district police, constable Suresh Kumar and assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Kishan Lal, were suspended Tuesday following allegations of fabricating a video to show “consent” from a minor rape victim.
A teacher, accused of raping the minor on Oct 21, 2023, was a friend of the constable. The two policemen shared the video with the accused, who tried to use it to get bail in the case. Sources said that the video somehow leaked and was circulated on social media, exposing the victim’s identity. The victim later died by suicide in Jan 2024. The district police, however, have not booked the two cops on charges of abetting her suicide.
The teacher, arrested on Oct 23, 2023, was suspended by the education department after his arrest. The victim’s father filed a police complaint on Jan 21 last year, alleging connivance between the accused teacher and the two policemen. Investigations revealed that Kumar recorded a coerced video of the minor on Oct 22 where she was forced to claim she had given her consent for the act.
“The video was shared with Lal, who omitted it from the official investigation report and allegedly handed it to the accused to help him secure bail. The video was later presented in court to secure the teacher’s release on bail,” said a senior police officer.
The officer added that as per legal provisions, the policemen should have got the statement of the rape survivor recorded before a magistrate under Section 164 of CrPC without any delay. “However, instead of getting her statement recorded before a magistrate, the two policemen made a video to show that the rape survivor had a consensual relationship with the accused. It was a serious case of procedural violations, that too in a case of rape with a minor girl,” said the officer.
After the victim’s father registered a complaint, Jalore SP Gyanchand Yadav ordered a probe. It was found that the two policemen attempted to tamper with evidence and shield the accused. An FIR was registered against them under various Sections of IPC, POCSO Act and Juvenile Justice Act.
