Police book AAP leader for revealing minor sexual assault victim’s identity

The Delhi Police has booked Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bhardwaj for allegedly disclosing the identity of a three-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted at a private school in West Delhi’s Janakpuri area.

According to police, the FIR has been registered under Section 72 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and Section 23(4) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, which prohibit the disclosure of the identity of child victims. A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a 57-year-old staff member inside a private school. The incident came to light on May 1 after the child’s mother approached the police.

The accused was later granted bail by a Dwarka court. In a recent development, Delhi Police also arrested a female teacher from the school after gathering evidence during the investigation. A court granted one-day custodial remand of the teacher for further questioning.

Addressing a press conference, Aam Aadmi Party chief Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday alleged that the BJP had lodged an FIR against him for naming a private school while raising the alleged sexual assault of a three-year-old girl in Janakpuri.

Bharadwaj claimed that he had highlighted concerns raised by the child’s family, who had alleged that attempts were being made to suppress the case due to the school’s alleged political connections.

He said the issue was brought into the public domain so that parents whose children study or may study at the school in the future could be aware of the allegations surrounding the institution’s handling of the case. He also referred to reports that several CCTV cameras on the school premises were not functioning, claiming this had hampered the availability of evidence in the case.

Rejecting the charge, Bharadwaj said he did not know the victim’s name or the identities of her parents and had only referred to the name of the school while discussing the case.

“It is important for society, Delhi residents and parents to know how the management of the school allegedly behaved with the victim and her family,” he said.