Shubhada Shitole, a senior police inspector, who was suspended along with two others for delaying the filing of an FIR in Badlapur sexual assault case involving two minors, has been transferred to Mumbai.
Shitole, from Badlapur East Police Station, was in charge of the case involving the sexual assault of two kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur, near Mumbai.
A male attendant allegedly sexually assaulted two minor girls, aged 4, in the school’s washroom on August 12 and 13. According to the FIR, the incident took place between 9 am and 12 pm on August 13. The parents of the two girls took them to a doctor, got in touch, and informed the police about the incident on August 16. They alleged the FIR was filed 11 hours later — around 9 pm on August 16.
The accused cleaning staff member, Akshay Shinde, 23, was arrested on August 17 for allegedly abusing the girls in the school toilet. The school management has suspended the principal, a class teacher and a female attendant.
Shitole had visited the crime scene and met with the victims but is alleged to have delayed the case, which was filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
Bombay HC Raps Badlapur Police
On Thursday, the Bombay High Court expressed outrage over the handling of the sexual assault case, calling the crime “absolutely shocking.”
Taking suo motu cognisance of the case, which has sparked widespread protests, the court criticised both the local police for the delay in filing the First Information Report (FIR) and the school authorities for failing to promptly report the crime.
“Such serious matters where girls as young as three and four years old have been sexually assaulted….how can the police take it so lightly” the court questioned. “If schools are not a safe place, what is a child supposed to do? What did a three and four-year-old child do?” the bench added.
Additionally, the court directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) assigned to the case to submit the original case diary maintained by the Badlapur police, a copy of the FIR, and other relevant documents by August 27.
(With inputs from agencies)
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