Dec 16 gang-rape: Inquiry on against policemen, court told

The Delhi High Court was Thursday informed by the central government that it has initiated departmental inquiry against seven policemen, including the staff of the PCR van, deployed in the area where Dec 16 gang-rape took place.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Rajeeve Mehra, appearing for the home ministry, told the court that the communication was sent to the Delhi police commissioner in this regard.

A division bench of Chief Justice D. Murugesan and Justice Jayant Nath had earlier asked the home ministry to file an affidavit detailing the departmental action taken against policemen who were deployed on the PCR van during that incident. Police in Delhi come under the charge of the union home ministry.

Delhi Police, meanwhile, submitted the Police Calendar 2013 before the court and informed it that "initiatives have been taken to give training to the personnel on gender sensitisation and crime against women".

Special Public Prosecutor Dayan Krishnan told the court that as per the police calendar, the training courses on gender sensitisation will be provided to personnel from constables to inspector level for five days in every month.

He added that three days in three months training will be given to them over issues of crime against women.

The bench had earlier asked police to identify the areas of training to make its officials more sensitive and to file a report on the training imparted to its officials.

The court was hearing the case after it took suo moto cognizance of the gang-rape of the 23-year-old physiotherapist by six accused in a moving bus in Delhi in December 2012.

The court posted the matter for July 25.