BHOPAL: Two months after a suspected love trap and forced conversion racket was busted in Bhopal, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has flagged serious lapses in the police investigation.
The racket allegedly involved youths from one community befriending college girls from another, raping them, making obscene videos, and pressuring them for religious conversion and marriage.
In its four-page communication to the state’s chief secretary and DGP earlier this week, the NHRC has mentioned, “Perusal of the facts of the case revealed that the main accused Farhan Khan was in touch with several persons in MP and outside. His criminal network connection with the crime in different states cannot be ruled out. However, the findings of the investigation remain silent on this aspect. Such a network of crime within the state as well as pan-India, if any, needs to be ascertained.”
“There is a need for more rigorous investigation to find out the possible network of crime inside the state as well as pan-India to protect the children and teenage girls from sexual exploitation and the pattern of dominant gender crime of trafficking,” the NHRC wrote in the communication.
The human rights body further highlighted there being no doubt regarding the relationship between the main accused, Farhan and one Shariq Machli, particularly as Machli appears to be involved with the prime accused in this entire case. Importantly, the man Sharif Machli, is a Bhopal-based businessman, who is believed to have powerful political links.
The NHRC has also recommended that the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) initiate departmental action against the police officer who failed to take the matter seriously.
The lapse occurred when the first of the alleged rape survivors, a college student whose complaint led to the first of multiple cases in Bhopal, initially called the state police’s emergency response service.
She had explicitly stated that she had been raped by Farhan Khan in Indore, but her complaint was not acted upon with due seriousness.
“The concerned official recorded the call in a manner suggesting that the victim had denied the occurrence of rape and advised her to visit the police station the following morning to file a complaint This response reflects gross negligence and a callous attitude on the part of the police personnel in handling a complaint regarding a heinous crime such as rape and liable to face departmental action.”
The NHRC also mentioned in the four-page communication about the Club-90 restaurant, which was located close to the college, where the female students studied, and also allegedly used in the crime. It was, however, demolished by authorities without prior information and collecting crucial evidence from there.
“Departmental action be taken against responsible police officers for this major lapse and forensic investigation of Club 90 is required for fair investigation of the case.”
Initial police investigation and an NHRC probe into the matter, the allegations of the complainant appear to be true. “It is a real and serious issue, involving deceitful romantic relationships and, thereafter, sexual exploitation and forced conversions of Hindu girls. Forcible, deceitful or dishonest religious conversion is unacceptable, it equals the Pattern of Dominant Gender Crime of Trafficking,” the NHRC maintained.
The Commission also criticised the silence of the concerned college’s anti-ragging cell, which is mandated to act under UGC guidelines.
Further, the Commission has asked the state’s chief secretary to ensure that the affected girls are admitted into new colleges without delay and that their education continues unhindered. It has also instructed the state to provide pending scholarships and to resume financial support for victims from SC, ST, and OBC backgrounds.
Noting that no compensation had yet been paid under the Victim Compensation Scheme, the NHRC called on the government to immediately release Rs 5 lakh per victim and Rs 6 lakh to the minor survivor under the POCSO Act.
The NHRC noted that considering the facts of the case and the serious nature of crime, there was a need for a more rigorous investigation to unearth the truth. The Commission sought a compliance report on it within two weeks.