Delhi Police today came under severe attack from AAP, Congress and BJP for making public the name of a rape survivor while Delhi Commission for Women sought stringent action against the erring officials.
In a press release issued yesterday, the northeast district police had mentioned the name and other details of the 12-year-old victim while sharing information about the case including her abduction and repeated sexual assault over a period of 10 years. The girl was reunited with her family recently.
Reacting strongly, AAP spokesperson Deepak Bajpai called it an example of "utter insensitivity" of Delhi Police and referred to an FIR against Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal for allegedly mentioning the name of a rape victim.
"This is utterly insensitive and unprofessional of Delhi Police. It is a cognisable offence and if they were so prompt in registering a case against Swati Maliwal, what action will they take against the erring officials. Their merely issuing an apology on WhatsApp is not acceptable," he said.
Taking suo motu cognisance, the Delhi Police, last month, had filed an FIR against Maliwal for allegedly mentioning the name of a 14-year-old Dalit girl, who died after being raped repeatedly. Maliwal had denied making the girl's name public.
Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken also slammed the Delhi Police for revealing identity of the victim and demanded a probe into it and strict action against the guilty.
"It is condemnable. It is legally and morally wrong to reveal the name of the rape victim. There must be a probe into the matter and action should be taken against the guilty," he said.
Delhi BJP's media in-charge Praveen Shanker Kapoor said the Delhi police commissioner should order a probe into the matter. "The matter should be examined under the purview of the law and if the officers have made mistake, the Delhi police commissioner must act against them."
AK Singla, DCP(Northeast), after realising the "mistake", had issued a clarification yesterday in a WhatsApp group.
When asked about the matter, Singla today said, "We hadn't revealed the new name of the girl. It was her childhood name but then we clarified and asked people not to carry the name.
"Her name had earlier appeared in the media and certain media houses had mentioned her name. We had mentioned her old name at one place in the press release. We haven't disclosed her current name."
The DCW chief called the police revealing the victim's name "shocking".
"I never revealed the name of the victim and yet an FIR was registered against me and now why is Delhi Police shying from taking action against its own personnel who has actually revealed the name of the victim.
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"The old/childhood name of kidnapped girl is mentioned at one place in press release issued by North East district on August 18 as part of story to link with the kidnapping.
"The detailsof the girl/family was covered extensively in media earlier, when the girl had surfaced, after 10 years," said Delhi Police PRO Rajan Bhagat.
Whatsappmessage was sent to all media persons that the old namemay also be avoided infurther reporting, he said.
"The current identity with which the girl is staying has not been mentioned any where.
"In fact, Delhi Police took great pains to catch the culprits who were involvedin the crime over last 10 years after the incident came to notice," he added.
