THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala has written to State Police Chief Loknath Behera urging him to take disciplinary action against the police officers who failed to register a case even after they received a complaint pertaining to the sexual harassment of a 10-year-old girl inside a theatre at Edappal in Malappuram district.
In his letter, Chennithala also wanted to invoke criminal charges against the police officers of Chakkarakulam police station for allegedly not registering a case based on the complaint. He also sent the complaint to the Malappuram District Police Chief.
“On April 26, the theatre owners handed over the visuals of the crime to Childline officers and police. However, they did not take any action. Later, the police were forced to take action against the accused, Moideen Kutty, after a private news channel aired the incident on Saturday. It has brought to fore the nexus between police and the accused. Criminal charges invoking Section 21 of POCSO should be booked against the police officers and the woman (mother of the victim) who accompanied the accused. Besides, Section 120 (b) (Punishment for Criminal Conspiracy) should also be charged against the police officers,” Chennithala said.
As per the Sections 19, 20 and 21 of the POCSO Act, the police need to register a case immediately after a complaint is received and to acknowledge the complainant.But in this case, the police remained idle and it is a serious lapse. The police act is punishable and they could serve a jail term of six months or should pay a penalty. Besides, the DySP and the station house officer of Chakkarakulam police station should be suspended from service, Chennithala said in the letter.