An ex-Andaman Chief Secretary and a Labour officer are accused of gangrape; a Special Investigation Team is established
Two current bureaucrats are an IAS officer from the batch of 1990 and was the Chief Secretary for Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) Islands They are accused of gang rape and sexual assault by a 21-year-old girl located in Port Blair.
In response to her complaint of August 22 to Director General Police, A&N Islands, an FIR was registered with the Aberdeen police station in Port Blair on October 1, and police set up the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate her claims. The Deccan Era has learnt.
The Chief Superintendent of Police leads the SIT, and the woman has received security from the police.
The two officers whom the victim is accusing of rape and are identified in the FIR are Jitendra Narain, who was the Chief Secretary for A&N Islands up to three months ago, when the incident was alleged to have occurred, in the same year as R L Rishi, posted as the Labour Commissioner of A&N Islands.
Narain is currently Chairman and the Managing Director of Delhi Financial Corporation. When asked about the allegations by telephone in New Delhi, Narain said he did not want to discuss the “absurd” claims. People close to him say Narain is sent a “detailed letter” addressed to Prime Minister’s Office, the Union Home Secretary, and other people, debunking the allegations.
Rishi was not available to comment, and his office confirmed to The Indian Express that he was in “medical time off.” The Indian Express has confirmed that the license plate of the vehicle mentioned by the woman in which she was transported to Narain’s home is registered under Rishi’s name.
Within the FIR (No. 165, 2022) , the complainant has requested to see CCTV footage of Narain’s home be gathered and she will identify his employees and ask them questions.
The woman’s complaint, accessed via the Indian Express, gives details of the brutal sexual assault at her twice in the evening in May and April. in May the Narain’s residence, which is his official one located in Port Blair.
The woman who filed the complaint claimed that, in search of work, she was referred to the Labour Commissioner by a hotel owner. The Commissioner was able to take her to the residence at the home of the chief secretary. There, she claimed she was offered alcohol that she declined and was guaranteed government employment. In the following, she claims that two men brutally and sexually abused her.
A few months later, she claimed in her complaint that she was called again at 9pm by the officials to the home of the Chief Secretary and assaulted again. In lieu of the promised job in the government, she claimed she was warned of grave consequences if she discussed about the incident to anyone.
Sources have said that the SIT team has new offices and will conduct the investigation in the most “fair and timely” way. The Section 164 CPC (confessional declaration) by the victim was recorded by the SIT and the chief metropolitan magistrate of Port Blair where she filed another complaint. A friend of the woman stated that they would be appealing to have the Section 164 declaration be recorded again using video-conferencing to serve as an “precaution.”
This investigation is also expanded to include the alleged involvement of a local channel reporter. He is said to have broadcast clues regarding the woman’s identity as an inspector from the police who was alleged to have “leaked details” of the investigation to her. This comes in the wake of an additional police complaint filed on behalf of the victim regarding how her identity was revealed through local media.
Narain has been reported to have stated in his written denials that the allegations were made at the direction of local officials against whom he took actions as Chief Secretary, and they were behind a “malicious” attack against Narain. Narain has stated that he would be fully cooperative with police and was prepared to stand trials.
