Motilal will probably have to be reborn to even get a degree of fame and a place in the spotlight as a former Editor of a fearless weekly, who was arrested for ‘rape” and languished in jail for over six months. But the Goa police system was certainly kinder to this staff of UK based charity home, in North Goa, Light House accused of raping a 15 year old girl, an inmate of the charity, who was later found pregnant and had to abort the child.
This is to report to our ultimate bosses, our readers, that Herald has commenced investigations in to the case and will chase the police into doing its work. But even as we bring the ghastly story to you, of how an unregistered charity, allowed this sexual assault to take place after which its owners just got up and left, with no idea of where the 30 odd children in that home, are now, we focus on just one point today- why was rapist allowed to be released?
Where is he? What were the conditions of his release? Did he apply for bail or was he granted bail immediately after his arrest? Did the Old Goa police take into account that the victim had made a complaint to the management of this home about Motilal’s sexual assaults, after which this accused was asked not to go the girls dormitory. While the conduct of this UK based charity will be examined, the role of the Goa police is no less deplorable.
They have acted in the most unprofessional, insensitive and callous manner in allowing the key accused to escape when he should have been facing custodial interrogation which would have allowed the investigating agencies to throw light on the very shady activities of this this inappropriately named NGO called Light House (or least their Goa unit).
The old Goa police, the SP North, and the DIG need to explain to the Home Minister why this alleged rapist is on the loose. The entire incident is shrouded in mystery and utter vagueness.
The Secretary Women and Child department, otherwise a fine officer, had no idea in what circumstances the alleged rapist was allowed to escape. We agree that that isn’t his job or jurisdiction generally, but in this case it very much is. The departments’ role is not just limited to shutting down the home but finding out where the missing children are- which the department is not officially aware of.
But most importantly, this department has to work with the police and track this case from the criminal standpoint too because after all, a 15 year old girl child has been brutalized. The department, painfully, has limited itself only to the legality of whether the shelter home deserved to be registered or not and came to the conclusion that it shouldn’t. The police, meanwhile, are sitting pretty with the rapist out. It has made no serious attempt to trace the two British nationals who ran the home and are absconding.
This needs a joint force to be deployed of the Women and Child Department, the police and the Crime Branch to do the following. Re- arrest the alleged rapist, launch a hunt for the missing children and the British duo and crack this case. Let this 15 year old not face the fate of the Vasco seven year old whose rapist is still at large. Clearly, those who write or make headlines are far more vulnerable than unknown alleged rapists in the state of Goa.
