In Hindaun, Rajasthan, a Dalit gang rape survivor accuses a magistrate of compelling her to undress under the guise of examining injuries. The magistrate faces serious allegations.
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Rajasthan: In an incident in Hindaun city of Rajasthan’s Karauli district, where an 18-year-old Dalit gang rape survivor has accused a magistrate of forcing her to strip under the pretext of examining her injuries. The survivor’s family approached the court following the heinous crime, and on March 27, a case was registered at the Hindaun Sadar police station as per the court’s orders. The accused magistrate, whose identity has not been disclosed, is now facing serious allegations.
The survivor was subjected to the gang rape on March 19. After the incident, her family took legal action, leading to the registration of the case. It is alleged that even after the survivor had undergone a medical examination by the police, the magistrate insisted on her undressing.
The survivor, in the FIR filed on March 30, stated-
“After recording my statement, the magistrate asked me to take off my clothes.”
She further added-
“He said, ‘I want to see the injury marks on your body.’ I replied, ‘You are a man. I would have shown if there was a female magistrate instead.’ Despite this, the magistrate said, ‘I want to see the injury marks on your body’.”
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The incident has caused widespread outrage and demands for action against the accused magistrate. An FIR has been registered against him at the Kotwalai police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The accused magistrate’s actions have raised serious concerns about the treatment of survivors of sexual assault, particularly those from marginalized communities.
The gang rape, which took place on March 19, involved several young individuals as perpetrators. Following the court’s directions, the victim’s family lodged a case at the Hindaun Sadar police station on March 27. The survivor was then taken for a medical examination by the police, and on March 30, she appeared in the magistrate’s court to record her statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
In her complaint, the survivor stated that the magistrate asked her to undress after recording her statement.
She expressed her objection, saying-
“You are a man. I would have shown if there was a female magistrate instead.”
However, the magistrate persisted, insisting on seeing the injury marks on her body. The victim’s mother and brother were asked to wait outside the room while this inappropriate and distressing incident unfolded.
Upon being refused by the survivor, the magistrate eventually asked her to leave the chamber. She immediately informed her mother and brother about the incident and together they went to the Hindaun City Superintendent of Police to file a complaint against the magistrate and seek justice. Subsequently, the Superintendent of Police obtained the necessary order to proceed with a complaint against the accused magistrate.
The Rajasthan High Court took notice of the case and has ordered an investigation. Women’s groups and human rights organizations have also expressed their concern over the incident. Ajay Chaudhary, the Vigilance Registrar of the Rajasthan High Court, personally visited Hindaun City and interrogated the magistrate for three hours in a closed room. He also reached out to other judges and prominent lawyers to gather more information about the judge’s actions.
The investigation into the case has been assigned to Mina Meena, the deputy superintendent of the Karauli ST-SC cell.
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Meena stated-
“She refused to strip, and after recording the statement in the court on March 30, she registered a complaint against the magistrate. The case was registered with Kotwali Police Station under charges of outraging modesty.”
A senior police officer informed,
“The investigation is ongoing, and the survivor’s statement under Section 164 of the CrPC will be recorded before further action is taken.”