Child rape case: Take exemplary action against erring officials, says Tejendra Khanna

NEW DELHI: Amid public outrage over the brutal rape of a five-year-old girl, Delhi's Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna today asked Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar to take "exemplary" action against police officials accused of showing laxity in tracing the missing child and offering money to the family for hushing up the case.

At a meeting here, Khanna expressed anguish over the gruesome incident and directed Kumar to speed up the investigation into the case which has sparked an outcry.

"The Lt Governor has issued a clear cut instruction to the Police Commissioner not to spare any police personnel who allegedly showed laxity in handling the case. Khanna asked Kumar to take strict and exemplary action against the erring officials," sources said.

They said Khanna asked the police chief to handle the case in the best possible professional way and told him to direct his force to take cases of violence against women very seriously.

The Lt Governor also asked the top cop to brief the media regularly about investigation into the case.

On Friday, Kumar had suspended ACP B S Ahlawat for slapping a girl inside the Swami Dayanand Hospital when she and others were on protest. The five-year-old victim was admmited in the Swami Dayanand Hospital.

SHO Dharampal Singh and sub-inspector Mahavir Singh, who was the first investigating officer, were placed under suspension for alleged dereliction of duty pending an inquiry.

A vigilance inquiry was also ordered into allegations that some policeman offered Rs 2,000 to the rape victim's family for hushing up the case.

The horrific incident took place in east Delhi's Gandhi Nagar. The girl, who was missing from April 15 evening, was rescued on April 17 from the ground floor of the building where her family was staying.

A second man allegedly involved in the crime was arrested in Bihar early this morning.