JAMMU: The probe into an alleged abduction of a scheduled tribe minor girl which dramatically traced out by Bagh e Bahu police station team from a room along with one sub inspector of Jammu and Kashmir Police and property dealer during raid at hotel Ramada has been getting murky with every passing day.
To dig out the truth about controversy surrounding reported abduction and recovery of a girl, the JK Global News in its investigation came across startling facts pertaining to the role of Children Welfare Committee (CWC), Jammu as well as police handling the matter.
The role of CWC Jammu is under scanner allegedly for enthusiastically jumping to ossification test of said minor girl in blatant violation of Juvenile Justice Act 2015 which clearly states that ossification test may be carried only if it fails to procure school documents or birth certificates issued by municipal bodies or panchayat.
If the age of the minor is nearly 16 to 17 years there are fair chances that during ossification test it may bracket into the higher side of age thus giving benefit to the accused in POCSO cases, said a senior medico posted in Government Medical College, Jammu on condition of anonymity. It is a lucrative deal, he remarked sarcastically.
Interestingly, despite the fact that rescued minor girl did her schooling from a private school in Narwal and currently appeared in Class 11th examination from a Government school (For ensuring the dignity of girl we withheld name of her school, roll number and details of parents), the CWC for reasons best known to them done ossification test of minor girl on May 17, 2023 at Government Dental College, Hospital, Amphalla, alleged one member of CWC Jammu on condition of anonymity.
Not only this, even the father of the girl alleged that he was not allowed to meet her daughter at Shelter Home. Astonishingly, acting beyond mandated provision of Juvenile Justice Act 2015, the CWC instead vide letter No 660/CWC-J/23 dated 19/05/2023 order deployment of female police constables for “security and protection” of minor girl, revealed our sources in police.
This estrange decision is incompatible with the mandate of JJA 2015 said one incumbent member of CWC on condition of anonymity. “The girl was brought here on intervening night of May 16-17, 2023 and since then she is behaving stable. Posting of cops for 24×7 close watch of a minor girl inside shelter home is a unique development in the history of CWC in J&K UT and visibly arraign a victim as accused, said one CWC member, adding “Shelter homes established under JJA 2015 are meant for care and protection where CWC primarily render counseling to child with an objective to rehabilitate them with their family”.
In contrast, despite lapse of three days, the CWC has neither summon the parents of recovered minor girl nor handed over her custody to them especially when the girl in question is not in conflict with her parents, added member.
The father of the minor girl confirmed to JKGN that he was not allowed to met their daughter and alleged that something fishy is cooking to shield the alleged accused persons namely Sub Inspector Sardar Ali having influential political background and his friend Muzaffar, an affluent property dealer. Instead of victim, our daughter is kept like an accused at shelter home in Trikuta Nagar and till date we are not allowed to meet her, rue parents of girl.
On being contacted, SHO Bagh e Bahu clarified that fair investigation into the matter is underway and every efforts will be done to ensure justice to minor girl who visibly appears to be a victim of allurement adding “Handing over custody of minor girl to parents is the sole prerogative of CWC Jammu”. However, the Chairperson, CWC Jammu Vidhi Dubey neither respond to our repeated calls nor to whatsapp message on the issue.