NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that a regular FIR has been registered in the matter in which a 19-year-old woman has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by her father when she was a minor.
The counsel appearing for the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) informed a bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar that the woman had visited the commission's office on Tuesday and she is asking for financial help.
The counsel told the bench, also comprising justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C T Ravikumar, that the DCW is willing to provide her financial assistance and has asked her to provide some documents so that the commission can proceed in a proper manner.
The top court was hearing a petition filed by the woman seeking transfer of the case lodged on her complaint from Ambala in Haryana to Delhi.
Advocate Akshita Goyal, appearing for the woman, told the bench that the accused was repeatedly calling the petitioner and he had also sent a message to her on WhatsApp on Tuesday despite knowing that an FIR has been lodged and the matter is pending before the apex court. "Please look into this grievance," the bench told the counsel appearing for the police.
The counsel representing the police said they would provide all security measures to the petitioner which fall within their jurisdiction. He said that the Delhi Police has registered a regular FIR in the matter.
When Goyal said the accused has contacted the woman, the bench said, "Once the police machinery moves into action, all necessary steps will be taken." The bench told the petitioner's counsel that they can contact the concerned assistant commissioner of police (ACP) in this regard.
"Your day-to-day problems can't be addressed by us here. It has to be addressed at the ground level by the ACP and the commission (DCW). They are doing it. If they are not doing it, come to us, we will then issue directions to those authorities. Whatever is required as per law, they are doing," the bench said and posted the matter for further hearing on October 21.
The DCW had on Tuesday told the top court that it will ensure "holistic rehabilitation" and provide legal support to the woman.
The woman, in her petition filed through advocate Abhinav Agrawal, has claimed that her father had sexually assaulted her when she was a minor and as her mother had passed away in 2016, there is no one to look after her in the family.
Initially, a zero FIR was lodged here on the woman's complaint and it was transferred to Ambala in view of the jurisdictional issue. A zero FIR can be filed in any police station and it is then forwarded to the concerned police station under whose jurisdiction the alleged offence has been committed for necessary action.
In her petition, the woman has said that she had left her home on July 22 and went to one of her relatives house and the next day, she had approached the DCW.
She has sought a direction that upon transfer of the case to Delhi, it be investigated as per the procedure prescribed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and also the standing order issued by Delhi Police for response and probe into cases of a sexual offence.
It has also sought a direction to the DCW to look after the protection and basic necessities of the woman as she fears for her safety.