Ex-IAS officer still absconding

Patna: Ex-IAS Officer Lallan Singh charged with torturing a minor domestic help, is absconding for the second consecutive day on Thursday, while the girl showed signs of improvement at the hospital.

Mridula Kumari, station house officer of the women police station where an FIR has been registered in the case, said that a police team went to Buddha colony house of Singh, who had retired as the commissioner of Munger, but on Wednesday found a lock hanging on the front door. If the officer, his wife and a bodyguard accused in the case remained elusive, the police would move court in a day or two to seek non-bailable arrest warrant against them, she added. The girl, who is being treated at Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) for deep wounds on different parts of the body inflicted by the officer and the family, is showing sign of improvement. SHO Buddha colony police station Sanjay Kumar said the police is keeping a watch over the house to apprehend the officer and others named accused in the FIR. Meanwhile, Bihar Child Rights Protection Commission has intervened in the matter suo motu on the basis of newspaper reports. Commission chairperson Nisha Jha said that a two-member probe team has been constituted and officials sent to PMCH, where the girl is under treatment. Jha said she had suggested to the state labour department that it issue an order that the medical expense of the victim girl should be imposed on the ex-IAS officer. She said a separate case under Child Labour Act would be registered against the ex-IAS officer on confirmation of age of the domestic help. The girl`s mother too would be prosecuted as per the provision of the act for allowing the officer`s family to take a minor into employment. As per the FIR lodged by the girl`s family, Singh, his wife and bodyguard used to torture the girl and physically assault her. They had hit her with hot iron rod on her chest and face and gave her electric shocks with an immersion rod. The trio had even pushed chilly powder in her private parts, the complaint said, adding, she met the brutal treatment as she was not a good cook. Unable to bear the inhuman torture, the girl escaped on Sunday last. PTI