Taking suo moto cognisance of the shameful Birbhum gang-rape case, the Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the West Bengal government.
“It is very disturbing news. We take suo motu cognisance of it,” said Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam.
The apex court bench headed by the CJI directed the district judge of Birbhum to visit the spot where the gang-rape took place and file report before it within a week.
The apex court’s observation comes a day after it was reported that a 20-year-old woman was allegedly raped by more than a dozen men following the orders of a kangaroo court which found her “guilty of having an affair with a man outside her community”.
The woman, who is undergoing treatment at the Suri Sadar Hopsital, said she was left at the mercy of the men of her village after she was unable to pay Rs. 50,000 as a fine demanded by the morol (headman) for having an affair with a man outside her community.
“The morol ordered that I be enjoyed by the men of the village. Following his orders, at least 10-12 people, including (some) members of a single family, continuously raped me. I lost count of how many times I was raped,” said the woman.
Yielding to mounting pressure, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shunted out Birbhum Superintendent of Police for failing to seek police remand for 13 accused in the gang-rape of a tribal woman that has sparked public outrage.
The SP, C Sudhakar, was ordered to be removed by the Chief Minister within hours of the 13 persons being sent to 14-day judicial custody by Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Bolpur Pijush Ghosh.
Ghosh rejected their bail petitions for the gang-rape of the 20-year-old woman ordered by a kangaroo court in Labhpur, about 200 km from Kolkata, as punishment for falling in love with a man from a different religion.
Top administration sources said that explanation was sought from the senior police officer.
