The Delhi High Court yesterday (February 17, 2020) issued a notice in Advocate ML Sharma's plea seeking court-monitored CBI probe into the mass molestation and sexual harassment incident at Delhi's Gargi College.
Notice was issued to the Centre, Delhi Police and CBI by a Division Bench of Chief Justice and Justice C Hari Shankar.
Standing Counsel Rahul Mehta for the Delhi Police informed the Court that investigation in the case was ongoing. The court asked him to state Delhi Police's stand in its counter affidavit.
The matter would be heard next on April 30.
During a fest on February 06, 2020 a shocking incident of group of men barging onto Gargi College in Delhi took place. A group of men had broken into the college and allegedly groped, harassed and molested the students present during the fest.
Students of the college are staging a sit-in protest on Monday against the incident, while the National Commission for Women has also taken cognizance of the incident and has a team on campus. The women students have said that there were serious lapses in security, and all this happened even as the police officials were present for security during the fest.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also reacted to the incident, condemning it, and assuring the strictest punishment for those found responsible.
Students of the college are staging a sit-in protest on Monday against the incident, while the National Commission for Women has also taken cognizance of the incident and has a team on campus. The women students have said that there were serious lapses in security, and all this happened even as the police officials were present for security during the fest.
The Delhi police has received a complaint from the Gargi college authorities in the matter a case under sections 452, 354, 509 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Hauz Khas police station.
Meanwhile, the issue was also mentioned in the Parliament on Monday. Replying to a question of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi in Lok Sabha, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' said outsiders were behind the alleged molestation of students at an all-women college in Delhi and the administration of the institute has been told to take action.
"Those who were involved in the incident were outsiders and not students. It was not a good incident. The college administration has been told to take action in the incident," he said during Question Hour.
The incident blew up on social media with many women recounting incidents who being allegedly groped and assaulted by the men who barged into the fest. While the fest was open to male students from DU, several accounts described the perpetrators as middle-aged and pro-CAA protesters.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal announced on Monday that the commission will issue notices to Delhi Police and Gargi College administration in the matter of alleged sexual harassment at the campus.
ML Sharma has thus sought a probe into the incident to find out as to "who was behind this henious crime".
Blaming the Delhi Government for inaction, Sharma has added that unless the court intervenes, justice will never be delivered to the girl students.
Sharma has also avered that based on accounts of students available on social media and media interviews, it appears that the college administration, as well as the police personnel deployed at the venue, failed to take any action.
Appearing before the High Court, Sharma today also alleged that the people came in 2-3 trucks and shouted 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'pro-CAA' slogans.
Author: Khushi Singh
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