HYDERABAD: They did not commit the sexual assault — but their silence has made them accused in the eyes of the law. Two women in Hyderabad have been chargesheeted in a POCSO and SC/ST case for failing to report the wrongful confinement of a minor girl they knew was in danger.
The incident occurred in November 2024 under Jubilee Hills police limits, and a charge-sheet was recently filed in the local court. Police said a 42-year-old man, Reyyi Raja Reddy, committed penetrative sexual assault on the minor between October 31 and November 5, 2024.
Kumari (name changed) and Swathi (name changed) are accused of wrongful confinement and of not informing the police despite knowing the girl was being held. Raja worked as Kumari’s driver, while Swathi was the security guard at the apartment.
Both women have been charged under Section 211 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with intentionally withholding information about a crime, and under Section 33 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which requires anyone aware of an offence to immediately alert the nearest magistrate or police officer.
Jubilee Hills ACP P Venkatagiri told TNIE that it is the duty of every citizen to inform the authorities about a crime. “Silence is also a crime,” he said.
Police initially registered a missing case on November 1 after the victim’s mother lodged a complaint. When officers questioned residents, including Kumari and Swathi, both claimed ignorance. On November 6, the girl returned to her mother and revealed the assault. She was immediately shifted to the Bharosa Centre for support.
According to the police, the victim said Raja and Kumari, under the guise of taking her to a wedding ceremony, took her in a car, bought clothes for her and then confined her on the second floor of a flat for five days, where Raja repeatedly assaulted her. Swathi allegedly supplied food to the girl while she was locked inside. Based on her statement and supporting evidence, POCSO and SC/ST sections were added to the case before police filed the chargesheet.
The case highlights provisions under Sections 31, 33 and 40 of the BNSS, which outline the public’s duty to assist police and magistrates. The law also empowers private individuals to apprehend an offender if they witness a cognisable offence and hand them over to the police. A few months ago, the then West Zone DCP SM Vijay Kumar publicly appreciated a citizen who caught a robbery suspect and turned him in.
