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Probe will be fair: Hooda

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Thursday that the enquiry by a senior police officer into the suicide by a woman who alleged that she had been raped by two policemen at the Rohtak police station would be fair. Meanwhile, the two accused policemen -- Head Constable Balraj Singh and Constable Silak Ram – have been arrested in Rohtak.

Talking to media persons shortly after addressing a meeting of block presidents of the Haryana unit of the Congress here, Mr. Hooda said if the woman had approached him to get her grievance redressed, the situation would have been entirely different today. He emphasized that strict action would be taken against those found guilty.

While asserting that the issue was being politicised by certain vested interests, Mr. Hooda justified the transfer of senior Rohtak-based police officers and said this had been done to ensure a fair probe. He further claimed that his regime had already taken action against those who had not acted in time. Those found guilty had either been dismissed, suspended or transferred and further action would be taken after receiving the report of the enquiry. About the demand for a CBI probe into the entire episode raised by Haryana Janhit Congress supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi, Mr. Hooda said no one had met him to request such a probe by the Central agency.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bishnoi in a statement said the incident was a blot on the face of the Haryana Government which was trying to sideline the issue by merely transferring a few police personnel. Several senior police officers had come under suspicion after the way they handled the situation and hence the investigation should be handed over to the CBI, he reiterated. The Government was trying to shift public attention by making the transfers, he added.

He also demanded a compensation of Rs.20 lakh to the family of the rape victim and free education for her children.

He further disclosed that he would lead a party delegation to President Pratibha Patil to apprise her of the worsening law and order situation in Haryana and increasing incidents of atrocities and crime against women. He said a date for the meeting had been sought from the President’s office.

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