The Rajasthan government on Friday gave a clean chit to Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rajeev Pachar, a month after he was removed from the post of Alwar superintendent of police for his alleged dereliction of duty in connection with a gang-rape case, according to a government statement.

A 19-year-old Dalit woman was gang-raped by five men in front of her husband on April 26 in Thanagazi, Alwar. The Rajasthan government had drawn criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bahuajan Samaj Party chief Mayawati during the Lok Sabha election campaign for delay in lodging the FIR in the case and not taking action until a purported video of the sexual assault began circulating on social media. The state government on Friday issued orders to register a first information report (FIR) against the station house officer (SHO) of Thanagazi, Sardar Singh, under different sections of Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act.

Following the gang rape incident, the state government removed Rajeev Pachar as the SP, suspended Thanagazi SHO and removed six staff of the police station. Five accused in the case were arrested on May 7 and the police have filed a charge sheet in the case.

According to the statement, the government will post deputy SP (Rural), Jagmohan Sharma, out of the district, and other staff of the police station, outside the Jaipur police range.

The state government made these decisions after reviewing two inquiry reports in the case. While the administrative inquiry was conducted by Jaipur commissioner KC Verma, deputy inspector general (Vigilance) Jose Mohan carried out the police inquiry.

The statement also said additional chief secretary (Home) Rajeev Swaroop ordered Rajasthan director general of police, Kapil Garg, to register a case against SHO Sardar Singh under section 166A(C) of the Indian Penal Code. The section covers a public servant failing to record any information given to him in relation to cognizable offence. The Rajasthan government has also approved recruitment of the gang rape survivor as a police constable, apart from giving her compensation.

Based on the two inquiry reports, the home department decided to initiate departmental action under service conduct rules against DSP Jagmohan Sharma, inspector Sardar Singh and constable Mahesh. The DGP has been told to take disciplinary action against sub-inspector Babulal, assistant sub-inspector Roop Narayan, constables Ghanshyam Singh, Rajendra and Ram Ratan.

First Published: Jun 08, 2019 00:39 IST