NHRC notice to UP govt over cop seeking sexual favours from

The NHRC has sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the DGP of the state over reports of a police officer in Rampur allegedly seeking sexual favours from a rape victim when she approached him seeking action against the perpetrators.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the media report, the National Human Rights Commission has described the case as a "glaring instance of a protector turning into a predator".
According to the report, the officer, posted at Ganj Police Station, who was also an investigating officer in the case, "asked the victim to first have sex with him" before initiating any action.

The NHRC today observed that the content of the report, carried on June 22, was shocking and if true, spoke volumes about the ills plaguing the law enforcement machinery and scant regard for people's right to justice.
"This is a glaring instance of protector turning into a predator," it said.
The Commission said it has issued notices to the chief secretary and director general of police, the government of Uttar Pradesh and sought reports within four weeks.
"The victim had approached him (officer) for help as her tormentors were roaming around freely and she feared for her life. The officer, allegedly, closed her case, when she turned down his advances," the NHRC said, quoting from the report.

According to the reports, the 37-year-old woman had been raped by two men early this year. The police had registered a case in the matter only after the intervention of the court on her petition, it said.