The Jharkhand High Court on Monday took cognisance of the case of a Brazilian woman who was allegedly gangraped in Dumka, reported Bar and Bench on Monday.
A 28-year-old Brazilian biker, who was going towards Bhagalpur via Dumka with her partner, was allegedly gangraped by seven men on Friday night. The couple had made a stop in Dumka for the night and put up a tent when the assault occurred.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Navneet Kumar on Monday sought a response from the Jharkhand director general of police, the chief secretary and Dumka’s superintendent of police in the matter.
“As we read from the newspaper reports, [the woman] is a Spanish-speaking person but it is not known whether there is a facility of a translator with the help of whom her statement was recorded,” said the bench.
The court further pointed out that there was an urgent need for a report from the superintendent of police in Dumka, given the amendments made in the Code of Criminal Procedure and the emphasis on scientific investigation in cases of sexual assault.
The bench also emphasised that crimes against a foreign national may have serious repercussions and impact the tourism economy of India.
“A sex-related crime against a foreign woman is likely to bring adverse publicity against the country and thereby tarnishing the image of India across the globe,” the bench said.
This came after Ritu Kumar, the president of the Jharkhand High Court Advocates Association, submitted copies of news reports of the assault before the court.
Judge meets complainant
Meanwhile, Anil Kumar Mishra, Dumka’s principal district judge and chairman of the district legal services authority, met the complainant on Monday and submitted a report to the Jharkhand Legal Services Authority, reported The Indian Express.
Mishra said in the report that the complainant is “emotionally shattered” but physically in stable condition.
“[We] assured them that the wrongdoers will be apprehended as soon as possible and prosecuted,” said the principal district judge. “The victim was emotionally shattered but was in stable physical condition, and medical examination was in process.”
An official from the Jharkhand Legal Services Authority also reportedly said that Mishra has directed that compensation of Rs 10 lakh be paid to the woman.
Earlier, Jharkhand Director General of Police Ajay Kumar Singh told The Indian Express that all seven accused had been identified and four had also been arrested.
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