Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 6: In a significant development in the sexual exploitation of mentally challenged girls, Chief Justice of State High Court, Justice M M Kumar has treated the letter written by a visually impaired advocate on the inhuman act as Public Interest Litigation and directed the Registry to list the same before the Division Bench on September 9.
In the meantime, Special Municipal Magistrate Jammu, V S Bhou granted eight days police remand of Chowkidar of Rotary Inner Wheel Home for Mentally Challenged Children, Angad Kumar, son of Sat Pal, who is allegedly involved in sexual exploitation of the mentally challenged girls.
Trikuta Nagar Police, which is investigating the case, has also arrested Surjeet Kumar, former Chowkidar-cum-Peon, son of Bhola Ram of Nowshera for his involvement in the gruesome incident.
In the letter addressed to the Chief Justice, Suraj Singh, who is the only visually impaired Advocate of Jammu and Kashmir practicing in the High Court Jammu Wing, has sought in-depth and thorough probe into the sexual exploitation of mentally challenged girls at Home run by Rotary Inner Wheels at Channi Rama.
He has further prayed before the Chief Justice that the investigation of FIR No.183/2013 under Section 376-C and 109 RPC of Police Station Trikuta Nagar be monitored by the Court by treating his letter as Public Interest Litigation.
“Startling revelations have come to fore as to how the mentally challenged girls were exploited sexually by an organized mafia in connivance with the management of the Home”, he said. Advocate Suraj Singh has further mentioned in the letter that the exploitation of mentally challenged girls has shocked the conscious of everybody in the country including him, who himself is visually disabled.
“The investigation of the case is at initial stages and there is every likelihood that those involved in this gruesome exploitation of mentally challenged girls will try to derail the investigation and for ensuring fair, impartial and speedy investigation the same is required to be monitored by the High Court so that whosoever high he or she may be the law must be allowed to take its own course”, Advocate Suraj Singh said.
The letter further said, “the victims in this case are mentally challenged girls and not in a position to project their grievances and in order to ensure complete justice to such a disadvantaged class there is a dire need for investigation being monitored by the High Court”.
Advocate Surat Singh has also sought directions to the Jammu Police for fair/impartial investigation into the case to provide justice to the mentally challenged girls.
After going through the letter, Chief Justice M M Kumar treated the same as Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and directed the Registry to list the same before Division Bench on September 9.
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