Uttarakhand additional secretary, Home, JP Joshi was arrested under section 376-C of IPC by a special police team of Uttarakhand police in a rape case registered by a woman against Joshi who has been accused of sexually exploiting her for two years on the pretext of giving her a job. Joshi has been sent to 14 days’ judicial remand.
While interacting with media persons, Uttarakhand Director General of Police BS Sidhu said Joshi was arrested from his residence in Dehradun at 4 pm on Tuesday after investigation on the complaint registered by the woman was completed by the special police team headed by the Women Security Cell In-charge and Additional SP Mamta Vohra.
Investigation on the counter FIR lodged by Joshi against the woman and two men is yet to be completed, though police team had collected some evidence regarding the same. Sidhu said that during investigations, it was revealed that Joshi had gone to Nainital on the date mentioned in the FIR lodged by the woman. In police guest house, Joshi had booked room number 2 while room number 1 where the complainant woman stayed was not booked by anyone.
When the guest house cook had asked Joshi about this woman, he told her that she was a senior police officer's daughter.DGP said, "Based on available evidence, we can say that CD was made by the woman as she had earlier worked as a journalist. The investigation report and Joshi's actions in the CD revealed that no one had helped the woman while making this CD inside room number 1. It is a matter of investigation whether someone had helped the woman from outside while making this CD."
He further said that police has filed a chargesheet under 376-C of IPC before the magistrate concerned after studying all the recent modification on rape related sections in IPC made by the Supreme Court and High Courts. Section 376-C of IPC relates to misuse of power while serving in government office.
The special police team has not found any evidence regarding threat allegedly issued by a police officer to the woman for withdrawing FIR against Joshi. Police also have not found any evidence about involvement of Congress party member Ritu Kandpal in this case. He further said that investigating this case, police had collected bedsheet and footwear from the guest house. During investigation it was revealed that this woman was known to Joshi for the last two years. Two years ago, Joshi had sent this woman to some place for providing her job. STF had reviewed last one year's phone call details of both the woman and Joshi which revealed that both were in touch for the last one year. Joshi was not presented before the media because he was not well, he added.
DGP said that the Government has not suspended Joshi so far but if he doesn't assume his office within 48 hours of his arrest then he will be automatically suspended. To verify the authenticity of the CD, it has already been sent to forensic lab. The zero FIR filed by the woman in Pandavnagar Police Station, East Delhi accusing Joshi of rape and sexual exploitation was transferred to Dehradun Kotwali recently. Joshi has also lodged a counter FIR accusing the woman and two men of blackmailing and threatening him.