Bhopal sexual abuse case- NCPCR's significant strong observations!

Bhopal, March 12: Up in the case of alleged physical abuse of six minors girls by an influential newspaper owner Pyare Miyan in Bhopal, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has made some strong observations about the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe and prosecution in a case.

 

A detailed report summing up the findings of NCPCR's continued enquiry into various aspects of the July 2020 case and also the death of one of the girls at the Children Home in Bhopal in January 2021, has been sent by the Commission to the MP Chief Minister, state's chief secretary, state's additional chief secretary (home) and the state's DGP last week only for action, the NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said on Thursday.

 

 

The NCPCR in its 7 paged report noted a few recomendations to be considered by District Administration in Bhopal for the victim girls. "An adequate amount of compensation for rehabilitation must be provided to these minor victims on an immediate basis. It needs to be further ensured that victim girls must be the sole custodian of compensation amount", it read.

 

 

Further addressing the Women and Child Development, the report read, "the minor girls must be provided with adequate counselling services and all the care for their psychological care must be made on immediate basis". It has also demanded appropriate action against the erring staff and officials who were verbally abusing the victim girls while their stay at the CCI.

 

 

The report also stated, "The role of DySP Umesh Tiwari was found to be suspicious by the NCPCR team and thus it's recommended that his role must also be looked into with respect to deliberate procrastination of the case by pursuing the matter with the prosecution. It was observed by the NCPCR team that Tiwari isn't familiar and acquainted with the basic provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act. Tiwari admitted to having visited the Children Home in police uniform while conducting an inquiry in the matter. Therefore it's recommended that he may be replaced from both the SITs on an immediate basis. Tiwari also needs to be sensitized in regard to the POCSO Act 2012 and the JJ Act 2015."

 

 

 

The CCTV footage of January 15, 2021 of the Children Home was found to be missing, this fact again raises suspicion in respect to the role of the Children Home in the incident, which also must be taken into consideration during inquiry. "The access of the poisonous material which led to the death of the minor girl can't be ignored and needs to be investigated".

 

 

The report further stated, "The Commission is of the view that challan in all the matters should have been filed before the POCSO Act Cases Court, as has also been laid by the MP High Court in a case. Thus it is recommended that this fact should be brought to the notice of the Court and the matter should be transferred to the POCSO Act Court. In the charge-sheet filed so far in the case, it has been observed that the appropriate provisions of POCSO Act have not been incorporated."

 

 

In July 2020, Pyare Miyan, an influential owner of Bhopal-based newspaper and aides were arrested for alleged sexual abuse of the six minor girls in Bhopal. While his aides were arrested from MP, prime accused Pyare Miyan, was arrested from Kashmir. The six minors were subsequently housed at the Children Home in Bhopal, where in January 2021, two of the minors were rushed to hospital for suspected overdose of sleeping pills/poisonous substance. One of the girls died two days later at government-operated Hamidia Hospital.

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