Delhi police begins probe on rape victim's plaint against SHO

A day after the Station House Officer (SHO) of Uttam Nagar police station was sent to district lines for allegedly misbehaving with a 13-year-old rape victim, a DCP-level officer of Delhi police's vigilance department has begun a probe in the case, sources said.
Senior police officials said that strict disciplinary action would be taken against SHO Bhagwan Singh if he is found guilty in the probe.
Reacting to the case, Delhi Chief Minster Sheila Dikshit said that police and the Delhi Lt Governor were seized of the matter.
However, police said that the initial probe had revealed several inconsistencies in the victim's statement before a female counsellor on September 14 and that given to senior police officials about the incident.

A female counsellor, who had spoken to the victim on the same day, said that the SHO was not present at the police station when she reached there for the girl's counselling.
Neither had the victim told her anything about the SHO threatening her and asking her to strip, the counsellor said. She also expressed surprise as to why the complaint against the SHO was made 18 days after the incident.

A senior Delhi police official said that the girl was allegedly raped on September 14 and an FIR was filed the same day. A juvenile girl and one Deepak were arrested the same day in connection with the case.

The girl had yesterday met senior police officials and claimed that when she along with her mother and aunt had approached Uttam Nagar police to file a rape complaint, the SHO there forced her to strip in front of her mother and aunt.
The victim said she wanted to file a complaint after being allegedly gangraped by four men on September 14.
Following her complaint, the SHO was sent to district lines and a departmental probe was initiated against him.