Jabalpur: High Court orders transfer of investigating officer, accused police constable after tampering of DNA sample in rape case

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): High Court has directed that the investigating officer and the petitioner (accused police constable) be transferred to the remote district so that they cannot influence the evidence and witnesses.

The decision of the court came after they found the tampering of DNA samples in a rape case by police constable.

The court has also raised doubts on the working of Chhindwara Civil Surgeon Shikhar Surana, Chhindwara Superintendent of Police Vivek Agarwal, and ADGP Umesh Joga.

According to reports, a woman had lodged a rape case along with SC-ST act and other relevant sections against the police constable, Ajay Sahu, a resident of Jabalpur, posted in Chhindwara district. According to the complaint, the accused also did the 8-week abortion of the victim in the district hospital.Following which the accused was arrested on November 13, 2021.

Nonetheless, the DNA sample of the victim was not stored properly. The ADGP Jabalpur Zone, Umesh Joga submitted the report in the High Court on April 20. After that the High Court found that the Civil Surgeon Shikhar Surana had provided wrong information to the Court. The ADG signed the report without examining it on the other hand the statement of the staff nurse was not recorded in it, the court added.

The court further said that the accused was a policeman. So it couldn't be denied that higher officials were trying to save him. Following which the court cancelled the bail plea of the accused police constable and directed the Chief Secretary, Madhya Pradesh to immediately take action against the guilty officers.

The High Court has also objected to the working of the state level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee.

Published on: Thursday, May 05, 2022, 01:34 PM IST