Gang-rape case: Departmental enquiry against 7 cops

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that departmental enquiry had been initiated against seven policemen in connection with the December 16 gangrape of a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus in the national capital.

Those policemen, who were manning the PCR van in the locality through which the bus had passed, have also come under the scanner of enquiry. Appearing for Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Rajeeve Mehra told the bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Jayant Nath that "departmental enquiry has been initiated against as many as seven police personnel including staff of a PCR van who were on duty on December 16, 2012". The senior law officer told the bench that communication was sent to police commissioner in this regard. The senior counsel also sought more time for government to act upon the recommendations of Justice Usha Mehra Commission, constituted to look into various issues relating to safety of women in Delhi. Earlier, the court had asked the MHA to file an affidavit detailing the departmental action taken against policemen who were manning the PCR van in the locality where the incident had happened. Meanwhile, Delhi police informed the bench that it has taken initiatives to give training to its personnel on gender sensitisation and crime against women and submitted the Police Calendar 2013 before it showing how the agency intends to go about providing the training. The court recorded the submission of special public prosecutor Dayan Krishnan that as per the police calendar, the training courses will be provided to personnel from constable to inspector levels for five days every month over gender sensitisation. He also submitted that one day in each of the next three months, will be allocated to provide training on issues related to crime against women. PTI