Rights panel initiates probe into allegations of police excesses on alleged sexual abuse victim
Rights panel initiates probe into allegations of police excesses on alleged sexual abuse victim
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MiD DAY's page one on August 10, 2010 reported the plight of Sushma
Badaik after she approached the National Commission for Women
The infamous 'sex-on-tape' story was telecast by a news channel in which Jharkhand Inspector General of Police PS Natarajan was shown in a compromising position with Sushma.
"The NHRC has decided to depute its investigation team for conducting an on-the-spot inquiry in connection with a complaint by Padma Badaik alias Sushma, alleging that she is apprehending imminent threat to her life at the instance of a suspended senior police officer of Jharkhand, who is facing a trial in a case of alleged sexual harassment of the complainant," said Jaimini Kumar Srivastava, NHRC Information and Public Relations officer.
The Commission has asked the Director General (Investigation), NHRC to depute a team for on-the-spot enquiry and submit a report in the matter.
Sushma, who is in the national capital for the last 15 days in the hope to get justice, had submitted a copy of MiD DAY along with her complaint to the NHRC.
"Sushma is a tribal woman from Jharkhand and fighting a case against a senior police officer. She has also been allegedly implicated by the state police in a case of running an armed organization named Jharkhand Army in Gumla region. She has been given the name 'Lady Don'. All these issues require an urgent probe," an NHRC official told MiD DAY.
"It is a great relief to me that the commission has decided to send an investigation team, as I have lost faith in Jharkhand administration. I still live in a state of fear and keep changing my whereabouts," Sushma told MiD DAY.
THE BACKGROUND
Natarajan's case dates back to July 31, 2005 when he was caught on tape in a compromising position with 24-year-old Sushma Badaik who later lodged an FIR alleging rape. Acting on her complaint, the state government had placed Natarajan under suspension and the police secured an arrest warrant against him.
When Natarajan, an IPS officer of 1975 batch, went into hiding, the police seized his belongings from his Ranchi residence and subsequently filed charges claiming that he had not only accepted sexual favours from Badaik after promising her a job, but also "forcibly raped" her. In support of its claim the police has attached two books and CDs, allegedly featuring Natarajan in compromising position with Badaik.
The books were gifted to Badaik by the IG. In his bail petition, Natarajan had claimed that the tape was morphed. He was granted bail in 2006 by the Jharkhand High Court on a surety of Rs 50,000. The scandal surfaced when a news channel flashed CD footage of Natarajan in a compromising position with the woman.
Natarajan was suspended and a first information report (FIR) was lodged against him and Parvez Hayat for various charges including rape. Badaik in her statement to court had alleged that Natarajan sexually exploited her assuring he would bring out the truth of her rape allegedly by another top police official Parvez Hayat, deputy inspector general of police. She had earlier alleged that Hayat had sexually exploited her promising her a job in the police.
WHO IS SUSHMA BADAIK?
The daughter of a Class III employee of the state government, she married her boyfriend Rajesh Kujur, who was not of her caste in 2000, against her parents' wishes. The two rented a house in Palamau and had a son a year later. Badaik, however, alleges that he ditched her soon and she returned to her parents' house with her son. Kujur, who apparently had a Naxalite connection, decided to rejoin the outfit. "This had jolted me and I loitered around for justice. But I never got it," said Baidik.
The Palamau police registered an FIR on June 7, 2002, alleging that Badaik was gangraped by six youths. "Two of the four accused were taken into custody. But nothing happened to them," she said. She then reportedly took up arms and was arrested in 2002 for carrying arms illegally.
She met Parvez Hayat when she came out on bail. "I had met him to seek justice and help me get back my son. Hayat saheb always sounded friendly. He also promised to get me a job of a constable and for that, he compelled me to have sex with him several times. When I did not get justice, I lodged a complaint with the CM," Badaik said.
Natarajan was asked to inquire into the allegations last year. Hayat too had then said Badaik was mentally unstable. In his inquiry, Natarajan had given Hayat a clean chit, saying "there is no substantial evidence to prove her charge".
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