Attempts to intimidate DCW, media: Swati Maliwal tells top cop

The Delhi Commission of Women chief Swati Maliwal on Tuesday wrote to Police Commissioner Alok Verma for an unbiased investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a 14-year-old Dalit girl, a case in which an FIR was registered against Maliwal last week.

Urging the police to look into the alleged misconduct of the police officers in Burari police station, Maliwal wrote, "Despite the girl having been kidnapped again on 15/05/2016, an FIR of kidnapping was lodged only on 19/05/2016. Once the girl was recovered on 25/05/2016, considering the sensitivity of the case given the alleged history of rape and kidnapping, the Counsellor of the Crisis Intervention Centre (CIC) of DCW should have been called by the Police. Even after the girl made allegations of rape on 30/06/2015 and the relevant sections of rape were added in the FIR, the CIC Counsellor of DCW was not informed of the case which is contempt and gross violation of the Hon'ble High Court's order."

The 14-year-old was allegedly kidnapped by the accused, Shivshankar, in December last year and raped. After she escaped, she was ready to testify against him in front of a judicial magistrate, but was allegedly kidnapped and held captive by the accused again. She was raped by the accused repeatedly during this time, and was eventually forced to drink a corrosive substance mixed with juice, and denied food. She passed away after a month on life support.

Maliwal also alleged the police of trying to intimidate her, and said that arrests were made 22 days after the incident, after a notice was issued by the DCW. The FIR also names a leading anchor of a prominent news channel, and states that in an TV debate held by the channel, Maliwal revealed the name of the 14-year-old, thereby violating section 228A of the IPC. She also alleged that the police has "repeatedly questioned and interrogated" several journalists who cover the work of the DCW.

The police, however, dismissed her allegations as false. "There is no iota of truth in the allegations that have been made," said DCP North Madhur Verma. It must be noted that Maliwal had issued a notice to Verma a few days ago over the issue.

He said that in December the girl had eloped with the accused, and that the police had registered a case of kidnapping then, and arrested the accused. He also alleged that it was on the statement of the girl in front of the judicial magistrate that the accused was released. "On June 15, she went away with the accused again, and came back on June 19. It is then that the parents came, and we registered a case. We took the victim to the Delhi Legal Services Authority for counselling, and then to a judicial magistrate, and finally to the CWC," he said.

Verma said that after a month the father took the girl to the hospital, alleging that she was poisoned. "What sort of poison of this that affects after a month," he asked. "Maliwal is unnecessarily politicising the issue."