Majlis Ummeed: Ensuring accountability towards victims...
Majlis
Ensuring accountability towards victims...
For over 30 years Majlis’ team of lawyers and social workers have provided legal and social support to victims of child sexual abuse and domestic violence. During our case work when we come across lapses by the state we raise these issues with the respective stakeholder to ensure accountability towards the victim.
15 year old Minal was repeatedly sexually assaulted by her father. One day her mother walked in and saw the incident. A big fight ensued and the mother went to the police station and filed the FIR on 27th January, 2017.
The accused father was arrested but later in May 2017 he was granted bail. The victim and her mother faced continuous threat and harassment from the accused and hence the victim was put in a shelter home. In Nov 2017 Majlis got this case from the shelter home. In Dec 2018 when the child went home for her holidays, the accused father came home and beat the child mercilessly. We helped get her medical done and filed an NC. We then filed an application for cancellation of bail. The judge rejected our application and a mere warning was given to the accused father.
In June 2019 the accused father again beat the mother such that he broke her hand. We again approached the police and this time an FIR was filed and the police took the accused father into custody. On 26th August, 2019 we informed the court that the accused father was in judicial custody, yet the judge did not direct the police to produce the accused. Later the accused father got bail. Since then he has moved to another city and does not bother to attend the matter.
S. 35 of POCSO Act, 2012 states that the trial shall be completed within one year, however this matter has been pending for six long years. On each date the judge merely mentions that the accused and the police were not present and a next date would be given.
On 29th December, 2022 we raised the issue of undue delay with the Principal Judge. On 2nd January, 2023 we were presently surprised to see that the judge issued an order asking the commissioner of police, Mumbai to appoint a special squad for execution of the arrest warrant. The judge went on to state that if the police fail to produce the accused, he would record the evidence of the victim in the absence of the accused.
This has brought a huge relief to the victim and her mother who for the first time, feel a sense of hope. Making the state accountable by addressing their complacency and callousness towards victims is a critical and unique intervention by Majlis.
About Majlis
We are a team of women lawyers and social workers who work for the protection and promotion of women and children’s rights through legal representation, advocacy and training. We provide social and legal support to women and children victims of sexual and domestic violence.
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