SC takes suo motu cognizance of Bengal gang rape

The Supreme Court Friday took suo motu cognizance of the "very disturbing" gang rape of a 19-year old girl in West Bengal's Birbhum district on basis of a newspaper report and ordered the district judge to submit a report.

A bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice M.Y.Eqbal, while taking suo motu cognizance of the incident, issued notice to the West Bengal government.

"It is a very disturbing news. We take suo motu cognizance of it," said Chief Justice Sathasivam as he directed the Birbhum district judge to inquire into the matter and submit report in one week.

"The news item published in the Business & Financial News is taken on the file of this court. The district judge, Birbhum district, West Bengal, is directed to inspect the concerned place and submit a report to this court within a period of one week from today (Friday)," the court said.

The court directed its registry to "communicate this order to the district judge immediately" and directed the listing of the matter on Jan 31.

The victim belonging to Labpur village was allegedly gang raped on the orders of the village head as a punishment for falling in love with a man from a different community.