Mumbai: Woman's camp demolishes cops claims against her

Sajjan Jindal, CMD, JSW Group of companies

In response to Mumbai police's assertion that the woman delayed signing her statement, Advocate Rizwan Merchant, representing the complainant, contends that the police are attempting to protect themselves. He states that the woman had to navigate obstacles to register her FIR, and the police fabricated stories to avoid embarrassment in court. "The officers are claiming this only to save their skins. There's no reason why the complainant wouldn't sign her statement when she has already submitted a handwritten and signed complaint to a senior officer, which is a part of records," Merchant said, responding to mid-day on claims that the woman was not ready to sign on the papers.

Sources said that the police were deliberately delaying the FIR or working under pressure. When the complainant initially approached the BKC police station in February, the cops told her that the competent officer or women police officers were not available. "Under the pretext of non-availability of women police officers, she seems to have been sent on a wild goose chase to get her grievance registered… from BKC to Kherwadi and then to Vakola," Merchant added.

Sajjan Jindal

Speaking further about the case, he said, "If the officer felt that the complainant wasn't signing her statement, though a cognisable offence was made out, the officer could've himself become the first informant by recording his own FIR and made a record therein that the complainant wasn't signing her statement and therefore the officer himself or herself has become the first informant. An entry in the case diary or station diary could've also been maintained." According to Merchant, these are "stories being cooked up before the HC to prevent embarrassment".

Sources revealed that the woman faced hurdles, being directed from one authority to another. "The victim, after multiple visits to senior officers, resorted to legal aid and approached the court, resulting in the FIR under 154CrPc upon court intervention," said a source familiar with the case. The timeline indicates the woman's initial visit to BKC police station on February 16, where only half of her statement was recorded. Despite subsequent visits, the FIR was not immediately registered. Finally, on March 27, she met a senior officer at the Mumbai police headquarters and was advised to meet relevant officers.

On March 29, she was asked to visit Kherwadi police station, but the woman officer fell ill. Sources claim that she was transferred. After seeking information from the senior about the case's progress, on July 24, she was asked to visit Vakola police station where her initial statement was recorded by a woman officer who then went on vacation. The woman met the senior again and this time, she was told that only a specific officer could record her statement as there were no other officers to do so. The officer at Vakola police station returned on August 22 and recorded her statement, and on August 26, signed the papers and provided only a printed copy.

Frustrated, she emailed senior officers on November 17 and approached the high court on December 5 through Merchant. The court, on December 8, addressed the police's claim of her not signing the statement, summoning senior officers from BKC, Kherwadi and Vakola police stations. The FIR was eventually registered on December 13. Sources allege that the woman officer at BKC, present from the start, was intentionally kept away from the case.

DCP Zone 8, Dixit Kumar Gedam, said, "We have not done anything illegal. We have submitted all relevant information to the court and continue our investigation into the case."

Feb
Month victim first approached cops

Dec 13
Day the FIR was registered