MHA Reviews Delhi Minor Rape Cases, Police to File Chargesheet Within 30 Days

Both cases will be heard in Delhi's fast track courts.

Crimes against women remain on the high despite strong protests. 

(Photo: Lijumol Joseph/The Quint)

The Union Home Ministry in a statement on Thursday, 12 August, said that Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with the Delhi Police and reviewed cases of alleged rape and murder of a minor Dalit girl in Delhi's Old Nangal area and the rape of another minor girl in East Delhi.

As per the ministry, the Delhi Police is committed to file a chargesheet within 30 days of the registration of the First Information Report (FIR) in the matters, so they can be expeditiously heard at Delhi's fast-track courts.

A nine-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped, murdered, and forcibly cremation in Delhi Cantonment’s Old Nangal area on 1 August.

"An FIR has been registered under IPC sections 304-A (causing death by negligence), 201 (destruction of evidence), 342 (wrongful restraint) and 34 (common intention), as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, SC/ST Act, and IPC sections 302 (punishment for murder), 376 (punishment for rape), and 506 at the Delhi Cantonment police station."

Ingit Pratap Singh | DCP (Southwest)

Days later, on 11 August, another case of rape of a six-year-old Dalit girl in East Delhi came to light as the parents of the nine-year-old girl cremated the rest of her mortal remains.

A case of rape under the Indian Penal Code’s Section 376AB, Section 6 of the protection of children from sexual offences (POSCO) Act and sections 3(2) (v) of the SC/ST Act was registered at the Mayur Vihar police station, Hindustan Times reported.

Meanwhile, the six-year-old was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for treatment.

She was raped allegedly by her 34-year-old neighbour in east Delhi’s Trilokpuri.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times and ANI)