LUCKNOW: Following a recent reprimand from the Allahabad high court, Hardoi police on Saturday arrested two constables for allegedly raping two cousins, aged 18 and 19, in April 2022. A third accused in the case, a sub-inspector (SI), is still absconding.
The survivors had moved the high court alleging police inaction. The HC took note of the matter and directed police to initiate appropriate action in the complaint and apprise the court.
The arrested constables have been identified as Manoj Singh and Himanshu Singh while the absconding SI as Sanjay Singh.
Hardoi superintendent of police Rajesh Dwivedi told TOI that an FIR was registered on the directions of the court on August 21. “We had formed an SIT comprising a CO-rank officer to probe the matter and it is still under investigation,” said Dwivedi.
Dwivedi also said a non-bailable warrant has been issued against the SI and teams have been formed to nab him at the earliest.
The parents of the girls (both adults) had alleged that on April 14, 2022, the accused cops had gone to a roadside eatery where the cousins used to work and they raped them there after having found them alone.
“We ran from pillar to post but the cops did not register a case. We also met the then Hardoi SP, but our complaint went unheard. Thereafter, we lodged a petition in the local court,” they told media persons.
Later in August, the court gave an order for an FIR and action, but the police lodged a final report in the case, the father of one of the girls said.
“Finding no solution, we moved the high court against the police report on November 3. The HC then directed the Hardoi SP to ensure arrest of the accused officers and apprise it of the action,” he further said.
“After being pulled up by the high court again on November 15, the two constables were arrested on Saturday, but the SI is still at large,” he added.
(The victims' identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
