Suo motu cognisance
In a letter to Chief Justice (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, a group of lawyers requested the SC to take suo motu cognisance of the issue. They also mentioned the matter before the Bench headed by Justice N.V. Ramana.
Initially, the SC asked lawyers to approach the HC but later asked them to submit the letter. It also assured them that it would look into the matter.
The lawyers requested the court to issue notice to the U.P. govt to trace the girl & provide police protection to her family. “We as a society can’t allow another Unnao case to happen,” it said.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh police while the Uttar Pradesh Women Commission (UPWC) has sought a report from the Shahjahanpur district administration in the case.
The National Commission for Women (NCW), which has taken a serious note of the incident, has urged the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) to expeditiously investigate the allegations of harassment levelled by the student & ensure the safety of the girl & her family.
“Considering the gravity of the matter, the commission is taking suo motu cognisance of this case & issued a notice to the Director General of Police (DGP) Uttar Pradesh to investigate this matter & send a detailed report to the commission. The commission had urged the Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure the safety of the girl & her family & also make sure that the investigation is done very quickly,” the National Commission for Women (NCW) said in a statement.
Uttar Pradesh Women Commission (UPWC) chief Vimla Batham also expressed her commitment to safe return of the girl, who had been pursuing her studies in a college run by Mr. Chinmayanand’s Mumukshu ashram. “We have taken note of the incident & sought a report from the district magistrate & superintendent of police of Shahjahapur. We are awaiting report,” Ms. Batham told reporters.
The student went missing following her allegation in a video clip that she was under threat from the leader of the sant community, without naming Mr. Chinmayanand.
