The Hindu : Other States / Uttaranchal News : Govt. yet to decide on Jenny's release

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Monday, Jul 05, 2004

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Other States - Uttaranchal

Govt. yet to decide on Jenny's release

DEHRA DUN, JULY 4. Despite being censured by the National Commission for Women over her ``wrongful confinement'', the Uttaranchal Government is yet to decide on the release of Indira Deuri alias Jenny, who accused the former State Revenue Minister, Harak Singh Rawat, of raping her, from a women's protective home where she has been confined for more than one and half years now.

Though the State Government had given a verbal commitment to the NCW to release Jenny, the unwed mother from Assam, at the earliest, inquiries have revealed that the decision regarding her freedom has not got a ``political nod'' from the highest level, official sources said today.

When contacted, the Chief Secretary, R. S. Tolia, sidestepped the issue of Jenny's release and said he has not seen the official report regarding the recommendations made by the NCW.

With the State Government taking its time to decide the issue of Jenny's release, the NCW has come out with a series of recommendations calling for speedy trial on a day-to-day basis and also transferring the case outside Uttaranchal.

``This is a fit case for speedy trial by a special court preferably on a day-to-day basis. The girl has already spent one and half years in trauma and the matter should not be delayed further,'' the NCW Chairperson, Poornima Advani, said in a report.

Jenny had created a political storm in Uttaranchal last year by stating that she was allegedly raped by Rawat, who was also the ``father'' of her child. Rawat resigned immediately after the sex scandal rocked the State Assembly on June 17 last year.

The recommendations of the NCW came after Ms. Advani along with Anusuiya Uike, member of the Commission, visited the protective home on June 24 and held detailed talks with Jenny.

Calling for transferring the case outside Uttaranchal, the NCW said: ``The ends of justice would be better served if the hearing of the case is held outside the state of Uttaranchal''.

``In this case, it is a matter where the influential minister had the state government facilitating his cause against a hapless rape victim'', the NCW said in its recommendations in the report.

Asserting that there appears to be no basis for keeping Jenny in a protective home, the NCW said: ``Jenny needs to be released immediately and permitted to live her life''.

In keeping with the Supreme Court ruling, Jenny should be provided with legal representation, it said adding the State Government should ensure that the lawyers are well acquainted with the criminal justice system.

The NCW also reiterated that it recommended adequate compensation for Jenny as well as her son Anjan for suffering ``mental harassment'' during her pregnancy and ``wrongful confinement''. PTI

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Govt. yet to decide on Jenny's release