New Delhi, Sept 25: Taking serious note of the alleged police harassment of a woman gangraped during Gujarat riots, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the state police to "keep off" her till it decided on the plea to entrust CBI with the probe into the sexual assault case.
Directing the State Government to file within a week reply to the allegations made by the victim, Bilkis Yakub Rasool, a Bench comprising Justice MB Shah and Justice AR Lakshmanan said "till the Court decided her plea for transfer of the probe to CBI, it would be appropriate for the State police to keep off her."
Bilkis, with legal assistance from National Human Rights Commission, had earlier filed a petition pointing out to the apex court that the state police had closed the rape case against the alleged perpetrators of the ghastly crime despite her medical examination clearly establishing that she was sexually assaulted by a mob immediately after the Godhra train carnage in February 27 last year.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Harish Salve and advocate Shobha, stated that she had shifted out of Godhra to Kalol as she apprehended harassment at the hands of the local administration.
Immediately after the apex court issued notices to the Gujarat Government and the state police officials on September 8, the local administration started inquiring about her whereabouts from relatives.

Bureau Report