PCMC police chief suspends 3 cops for delay in lodging of POCSO case
The 14-year-old victim’s father had visited the police station thrice on February 27, but the accused policemen refused to register a first information report (FIR), police sources said.
RK Padmanabhan, Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissioner, suspended three policemen - an assistant police inspector (API) and two police constables - on Saturday for failing to register a molestation-related offence of a 14-year-old girl under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act).
The policemen are attached to the Chikhali police station and face dereliction of duty as suspension charge.
The 14-year-old victim’s father had visited the police station thrice on February 27, but the accused policemen refused to register a first information report (FIR), police sources said.
The girl’s father, then, approached Padmanabhan directly the same evening. Padmanabhan on hearing the complaint ordered registration of the FIR and ordered an inquiry into the incident.
After the inquiry was completed, the commissioner ordered suspension of the accused policemen.
Senior police inspector Balaji Sontakke of Chikhali police station, said, “The assistant police inspector was not present at the police chowki on March 27 and the other two police constables told the victim’s father that a complaint would be registered only when the assistant police inspector arrives. The father had come to the police station thrice on March 27 and since, he could not register the complaint, he approached the commissioner with the complaint. It was the duty of the police constables and the assistant police inspector to register the complaint. The API was not present during peak hours (between 11am and 9 pm) at the chowki. A case has been lodged under the Pocso act,” he said.