Having taken cognisance of the gangrape of an American woman, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Monday issued notice to the Delhi Police demanding why the Rape Crisis Cell of the Commission was not informed when police recorded the statement of the US national who was allegedly gangraped in a five-star hotel earlier this year.
Citing orders of the High court in this regard, the Commission said it was deeply saddened to note that in this case the Delhi Police did not inform the Crisis Intervention Centre/ Rape Crisis Cell counsellor of the Commission when the victim’s statements were recorded by the police on
December 20.
“This is a very serious matter and a gross violation of the directives of the Delhi High Court in the case wherein it was ordered that the duty officer, immediately, upon receipt of the complaint/ information of a rape case, intimate the same to the Rape Crisis Cell/Crisis Intervention Centre which shall respond to calls of sexual assault at the police station and provide counselling and other support services to victims of rape.
“The same has been elucidated in standing order No. 303/2016 of Delhi Police,” the Commission said in its notice to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi.
The Commission also sought the status report in the case stating that they have come to know through a news article that the victim has found the investigation process “unsatisfactory”.
The Commission has asked police to submit the information by January 3, 2017, failing which they will initiate appropriate action as per law.