150 sexual-harassment complaints against Delhi cops, not one convicted yet
Not one among the 150 Delhi policemen accused of sexual assault in the last six years has been convicted yet. A Hindustan Times report serves as a testimony to the widespread apathy and custodian violence within the Delhi Police. In 122 of the 150 cases, charges have been filed or the investigations are underway. The accused policemen were acquitted in the remaining 28 cases.
Accusations include rape, molestation, stalking and attempts at unnatural sex
The allegations against the Delhi Police include various kinds of sexual violence ranging from rape and molestation to stalking, inappropriate touching and attempts at unnatural sex. Some of the complainants had come to a police station seeking help. Three others were policewomen alleging harassment by seniors. The accused cops were reportedly either constables, head constables, assistant sub-inspectors or sub-inspectors.
Senior police officers harass victims, threaten them into silence
One of the complainants accused a constable and his son of rape and physical abuse in 2015. The cop was arrested and is now being tried in a court. Another woman alleged that an assistant sub-inspector forced her to have "unnatural sex" with him last year. Senior police officers often harass victims and threaten them into not reporting such cases, reported several complainants.
Little action by Delhi police to address sexual-violence cases
Unfortunately, despite it being commonplace, the Delhi Police hasn't done much to address or punish such predatory behaviour among its employees. So far only 30% of the total under-trail accused cops have been demoted by up to four years and just two constables dismissed after internal inquiries. Moreover, these disgraced employees can be reinstated and their dues paid, if they win their court cases.
Data based on Delhi Police's RTI replies
The Hindustan Times report bases its information on the replies it received from 38 of Delhi Police's 45 departments under the Right to Information act. The rest of the departments, it claims, did not respond to its queries.
