Maharashtra Leaders Demand Justice for Badlapur School Assault
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 22: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole welcomed the High Court’s decision to take suo motu cognizance of the Badlapur sexual assault case. He said, “I welcome the decision of the court. We are expecting the High Court to hear the Suo Moto cognizance the way the Supreme Court heard in the case of Kolkata rape and murder case.”
When asked about the SIT investigation, Patole expressed doubts about the SIT led by IPS Arti Singh and the government-appointed advocate, demanding their replacement. He added, “Congress demands that the culprits should be punished severely.”
Union Minister Piyush Goyal condemned the incident and called for severe punishment for the culprits. Speaking to the media after visiting Malad Chinchvali Marathi School, Goyal said, “This is a very unfortunate incident. I strongly condemn it. The accused in this case should face the harshest action as soon as possible. They should be punished in such a way that other people also feel scared before doing such things.”
He added, “Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar have taken full cognizance of the incident. I have full faith that the culprits will be punished through the fast-track court.”
Amid violent protests in Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the alleged sexual assault of two girls at a school in Badlapur. The matter is being heard today by a division bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj Chavan.
The alleged sexual assault of two fourth-grade girls at a school in Maharashtra’s Badlapur has sparked outrage. On August 17, police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls. This incident has created massive outrage among the people in Badlapur.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) has recommended the establishment of special branches or “mini-police stations” for women and children in every police station across the state. This development came in the wake of an alleged delay in registering the crime by the police in Badlapur. Chairperson Susieben Shah shared a detailed plan in this regard during a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Addressing the press conference, Shah said, “Currently, police stations have Women’s Help Desks, Special Juvenile Police Units, and Child Welfare Police Officers. However, these units are not dedicated solely to addressing complaints from women and children, often leading to the unavailability of trained personnel when needed. Officers in these units are frequently assigned to other duties, causing delays in registering and investigating complaints.”
She said that the Crime Branch units in police stations are exclusively reserved for investigating crimes, ensuring that officers are not diverted to other duties and that their sole responsibility is to investigate and solve crimes efficiently.
Doubts Revealed
Maharashtra -: Maharashtra is a state in western India. It is known for its capital, Mumbai, which is the financial center of India.
Congress president -: The Congress president is the leader of the Indian National Congress, a major political party in India. In this context, it refers to the leader of the party in Maharashtra.
Nana Patole -: Nana Patole is a politician and the president of the Maharashtra Congress. He is involved in addressing the issues in the state.
High Court -: The High Court is a major court in India that deals with important legal cases. In this case, it refers to the Bombay High Court, which is in Mumbai.
suo motu cognizance -: Suo motu cognizance means that the court has taken notice of a matter on its own, without anyone having to bring it to their attention.
Badlapur -: Badlapur is a town in Maharashtra, India. It is the place where the school assault incident happened.
SIT -: SIT stands for Special Investigation Team. It is a group of police officers who investigate serious crimes.
IPS Arti Singh -: IPS Arti Singh is a senior police officer in India. IPS stands for Indian Police Service, which is a top police force in the country.
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a member of the central government in India. They are responsible for specific areas like finance, education, etc.
Piyush Goyal -: Piyush Goyal is a Union Minister in the Indian government. He is involved in making important decisions for the country.
Bombay High Court -: The Bombay High Court is a major court in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It handles important legal cases in the state.
Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights -: This is a government body in Maharashtra that works to protect the rights of children. They make sure children are safe and treated well.
special branches for women and children -: These are special sections in police stations that focus on issues related to women and children. They help in handling cases like assault and abuse more effectively.
