Taking ‘suo motu’ cognisance of a media report of assault on a woman official in Gadchiroli district on the International Women’s Day, the Bombay high court today issued notices to Maharashtra government and state Home Minister R R Patil.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Anoop Mohta also issued notices to the Director General of Police, the Gadchiroli Zilla Parishad executive officer and the district deputy superintendent of police.
“We are taking suo motu cognisance of the issue of assault on a lady official on the International Womens’ Day in Gadchiroli,” the judges said.
On March 8 this year, the official, associated with the Centre-sponsored National Rural Health Mission and responsible for recruitment in the district, was called for a meeting of the health committee at the Zilla Parishad office.
At the meeting, she was allegedly abused by the ZP office-bearers for certain decisions related to the recruitment process.
The woman further claimed that while returning home, she was assaulted by some persons.
The district, located on Andhra Pradesh border, is a hotbed of Naxal activity. The woman had said in her complaint that `political goons’ in the district were a more menace than Naxals.
