Mysuru, Apr 30 (DHNS): The daughter of a retired IAS officer who had complained of sexual assault by her husband’s brother, has appealed to the Director General and Inspector General of Police to entrust the investigation of the case to Bengaluru police. She also wants the investigation officer in the case replaced.
According to sources, the victim has expressed doubts over fair and impartial probe with “influential persons in Mysuru interfering with the investigation”.
Moreover, she has no faith in the investigation officer (ACP of NR sub-division, Umesh G Shet) for the reasons explained by her in her four-page letter submitted to the DG&IGP, Om Prakash, on April 24.
The victim has enclosed a copy of the notice served on her by the IO, asking her to appear for inquiry at the office of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Bengaluru, even after she recorded the statement before the judge of the court at Mayo Hall in Bengaluru. She has also been asked to attend the inquiry in Mysuru.
Captain Arvind Sharma, the advocate for the woman, who handed over the letter at the office of the DG&IGP told Deccan Herald, “When a case is filed under Section 376 (sexual assault) of IPC, the victim cannot be questioned at a place other than her residence. However, in this case, the IO wants the victim to record her statement outside her house.”
According to Sharma, the victim has cited the same reason (summoning her for questioning outside her house) in the application filed before seventh additional district and sessions court, Mysuru, on Wednesday. The application filed under Section 301(2) of CrPC seeks permission for appointing a private pleader to assist the public prosecutor in the case.
According to Sharma, the victim had objected to the presence of Arun Kumar, the advocate for her in-laws, when she was taken to the latter’s house at VV Mohalla in Mysuru. Even though the matter was brought to the notice of the IO, he remained nonchalant.
Hearing adjourned
The court has adjourned the hearing of the application and the anticipatory bail plea of the accused - Dr Prabhuddha Harsha Murthy - to Thursday. The woman is married to Dr Harsha’s brother.
She has accused her brother-in-law of sexually assaulting her when she was pregnant in November 2014. Following the complaint by the victim, Dr C B Murthy and Nalina Murthy (parents of Dr Harsha) were booked for dowry harassment.
The Murthy couple were granted anticipatory bail on Tuesday.
Efforts made by this newspaper to contact DG&IGP Om Prakash over phone went in vain, as the officer was busy attending a meeting.