Itanagar: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motto cognizance of the molestation case of a 22-year-old girl by a priest in Itanagar.
“As of now, we are waiting for a detailed report from the Arunachal Pradesh Director General of Police on the alleged incident,” said Soso Shaiza, a member of NCW, on Thursday.
The NCW had earlier written a letter to the Arunachal DGP asking him to immediately look into the matter.
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A 22-year-old girl was allegedly molested by the Don Bosco Youth Centre director Father Cyriac Pulinthanathumalayil in Itanagar.
The incident had come to light after a social media user from the state had posted about the alleged incident on Facebook.
An FIR was filled by the victim on June 15 at the women police station in Itanagar and a case has been registered against the accused.
Capital Complex superintendent of police, Tumme Amo said that he too has received a letter from the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW) regarding the molestation case.
Replying to a query on the status of the accused, Amo said, “Following the FIR, Fr Cyriac was produced before the court on June 15 and was sent for judicial custody.”
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“However, the jail authority didn’t allow the accused to enter the jail premises as he had not undergone a COVID-19 test then,” the SP said.
“As it was already dark, the accused was then asked to stay at the police station’s lockup for a night. Next morning, he was taken to Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) in Naharlagun for the COVID-19 test,” the SP said.
Amo said the TRIHMS officials told the police that it would take at least three days for the result as they did not have antigen test kits then. An RT-PCR test was accordingly conducted.
“After the test, the accused was again produced before the court which asked the police to release him for the time being,” the SP said.
In regards to the present whereabouts of the accused, Amo said he has asked the investigating officer to inform the court once again about his test results so that he can be kept under judicial custody.
Calls made to the investigating officer of the case remained unanswered.
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