Mentally-ill girl abused in plush condominium: Police turn a blind eye
By: Vandana Kamath & H M Chaithanya Swamy
Complaint filed on April 30, but no case registered.DCP Revanna , who initially denied the incident, finally admitted there was ‘no intercourse ’
Had it not been for the hysterical reaction of the victim on seeing her tormentors, this case of sexual abuse may never have seen the light of day. The victim, a 20-year-old mentally ill woman from a well-to-do family residing in the upscale Elita Promenadeapartment complex in JP Nagar 7th phase, began slapping one of the security guards of the complex when she was brought down to the common area for a walk.
Her reaction aroused suspicions of her grandparents (mother’s parents), with whom she stays, and other residents around. The security guard was questioned and to their horror, they learnt that two security guards had entered the victim’s house when her grandparents — her guardians —had gone for a walk one evening and hadsexually assaulted her.
The 1,573-unit apartment complex, home to several head honchos of tech-companies in the city, is a joint venture between Singapore-based Keppel Land Limited and city-based Purvankara. While representatives of the realty company and the security agency admit that the security guards didsexually abuse the girl and that the accused were handed over to the J P Nagar police, the cops denied (till Wednesday evening) any such incident had taken place.
The incident came to light at about 8.30 pm on April 27 and a police complaint was filed on April 30. But no case was registered, despite it being a heinous crime. “We do not know why the police pushed the case under the carpet instead of taking it seriously. Their behaviour smacks of foul play,” allege a group of female residents, who are worried about safety issues in the apartment complex.
A spokersperson for the apartment complex said that when the incident was reported, the area manager and security manager of the apartment met the family and suggested that they file a complaint with the police. “Subsequently after discussions with the apartment’s Governing Council Group and Head of Security, the family members filed a formal complaint on April 30 and the offenders were also handed to the police. The offenders have been produced in court and are now in police custody,” the spokesperson said.
One resident, however, claimed that the perpetrators were booked for theft and not for outraging the modesty of a fellow woman. “What has irked us the most is the apathy of police inspector Manoj Kumar (in pic)in pursuing the case,” the resident said. “Whether it is pressure from vested interests or sheer laziness, he refused to pursue the case. In fact, the talk in the apartment complex is that it is the cops who have succeeded in creating fear in the girl's family instead of helping them in their fight.”
When BM contacted the JP Nagar police on Tuesday to get an update on the case, the police flatly denied any such incident had taken place in their jurisdiction. When it was pointed out that two security guards from the apartment complex were handed over to them, inspector Manoj Kumar said, “I will check the records and get back to you, but I am sure no such incident has happened.” However, sources in the station say the crime was reported, but the case was hushed up.
When BM contacted HS Revanna, deputy commissioner of police (DCP, South), on Tuesday afternoon, he too hummed the same tune. “No such incident has been reported,” he said. “Someone has given false information and there is no report related to any sexual assault on any mentally challenged girl.” Subsequently, BM approached Pronab Mohanty, additional commissioner of police (crime). When Mohanty called up the inspector, he too was told no such incident had occurred.
However, an internal mail circulated by residents of the apartment complex — BM has a copy — clearly indicated a cover-up. BM then mailed Keppel Land's head-honchos in Singapore and spoke to managers of the security agency who confirmed that the police were distorting the facts. When BM raised the issue with DCP Revanna again on Tuesday, he changed his tune. “There was no intercourse in this case,” Revanna said. “Molestation is different andsexual intercourse is different. Our officers have spoken to the family members and asked them to file a complaint, but they have not given any complaint in writing. If anyone comes and files a complaint I will arrest the accused persons within minutes and send them to the jail.”
Late on Tuesday, Revanna's version changed again. This time he claimed that the girl's guardians had given it in writing to the police that no such incident had occurred. When BM visited the police station on Wednesday morning to take a look at the letter, it was found that the cops had obtained the letter from the victim’s guardians on May 20 — after BM had begun raising questions with the police on the case.
Sources say that a “few” policemen had directed the girl's grandfather to write a letter covering up their lapses. The letter, although written in English, has no signature but mysteriously has a thumb impression purportedly of the guardian. The letter describes everything as a “rumour”.
‘Offenders were handed over to the police’
Replying to an emailed questionnaire from BM, Col JC Narula (retd), senior vice-president (operations & customer relationship management), Keppel Puravankara Development Pvt Ltd, insisted that at no stage was any pressure exerted on either the parents of the victim or the police to conceal the crime. Excerpts.
Was a formal complaint lodged with the jurisdictional police? If yes, when and by whom?
A formal complaint was lodged by the family of the victim. Once the incident was reported at around 8.30 pm on April 27, 2014, the area manager and security manager of Elita Promenade met the family and suggested that they file a complaint with the police. Subsequently after discussions with the Elita Promenade Governing Council (EPGC) group and head of security, the family members filed a formal complaint on April 30, 2014 and the offenders were also handed to the police. The offenders have been produced in court and are now in police custody.
Are there security cameras installed in the apartment complex?
There are no CCTV cameras placed in the complex as this does not come within the purview of our scope of work.
Was the contract with the security agency terminated? What action has been taken against the perpetrators of the alleged crime?
While the security agency has been conducting a strict scrutiny of all security staff, we have asked them to once again run a thorough background check of personnel employed and replace those who appear to have dubious credentials.
Was any pressure put on the family or the police to cover up the incident?
At no stage was any pressure put on the family or the police to cover up this incident. We reiterate that every effort was made to convince the family to file a complaint with the police. The culprits were immediately apprehended and handed over to the police. As mentioned earlier, no effort will be spared to help the family.
WHY NOT SUO MOTU CASE ?
“The victim has to tell us about the incident or a policeman or I should have been eyewitness to the incident. Only then can we book a case,” said DCP Revanna. “If the victim does not say anything, we cannot book a case. Even if we are eyewitnesses to the incident, we cannot arrest the perpetrators immediately as there are chances of them being lovers. Hence, it is only the victim who can tell us if it is a sexual attack. What can we do if the girl says she was never abused?" When BM contacted Handiman, the firm handling security at the apartment complex, they too initially refused to accept that such incident had taken place. After several calls, an employee of the firm said: "We have sacked two security guards over allegations of sexually assaulting the mentally challenged girl.”
Complaint filed on April 30, but no case registered.
Had it not been for the hysterical reaction of the victim on seeing her tormentors, this case of sexual abuse may never have seen the light of day. The victim, a 20-year-old mentally ill woman from a well-to-do family residing in the upscale Elita Promenade
Her reaction aroused suspicions of her grandparents (mother’s parents), with whom she stays, and other residents around. The security guard was questioned and to their horror, they learnt that two security guards had entered the victim’s house when her grandparents — her guardians —had gone for a walk one evening and had
Victims of sexual abuse often complain of being more abused by the process of seeking justice than by the attacker. When the victim is a mentally retarded woman — imagine the moral bankruptcy of the perpetrators — the process is even harder. The incident came to light on April 27, 2014, but since then there has been a concerted effort, especially by the police, to keep the case under wraps — perhaps to keep the image of the apartment builder and Handiman, the security agency, from being dented.
The 1,573-unit apartment complex, home to several head honchos of tech-companies in the city, is a joint venture between Singapore-based Keppel Land Limited and city-based Purvankara. While representatives of the realty company and the security agency admit that the security guards did
The incident came to light at about 8.30 pm on April 27 and a police complaint was filed on April 30. But no case was registered, despite it being a heinous crime. “We do not know why the police pushed the case under the carpet instead of taking it seriously. Their behaviour smacks of foul play,” allege a group of female residents, who are worried about safety issues in the apartment complex.
A spokersperson for the apartment complex said that when the incident was reported, the area manager and security manager of the apartment met the family and suggested that they file a complaint with the police. “Subsequently after discussions with the apartment’s Governing Council Group and Head of Security, the family members filed a formal complaint on April 30 and the offenders were also handed to the police. The offenders have been produced in court and are now in police custody,” the spokesperson said.
One resident, however, claimed that the perpetrators were booked for theft and not for outraging the modesty of a fellow woman. “What has irked us the most is the apathy of police inspector Manoj Kumar (in pic)in pursuing the case,” the resident said. “Whether it is pressure from vested interests or sheer laziness, he refused to pursue the case. In fact, the talk in the apartment complex is that it is the cops who have succeeded in creating fear in the girl's family instead of helping them in their fight.”
When BM contacted the JP Nagar police on Tuesday to get an update on the case, the police flatly denied any such incident had taken place in their jurisdiction. When it was pointed out that two security guards from the apartment complex were handed over to them, inspector Manoj Kumar said, “I will check the records and get back to you, but I am sure no such incident has happened.” However, sources in the station say the crime was reported, but the case was hushed up.
When BM contacted HS Revanna, deputy commissioner of police (DCP, South), on Tuesday afternoon, he too hummed the same tune. “No such incident has been reported,” he said. “Someone has given false information and there is no report related to any sexual assault on any mentally challenged girl.” Subsequently, BM approached Pronab Mohanty, additional commissioner of police (crime). When Mohanty called up the inspector, he too was told no such incident had occurred.
However, an internal mail circulated by residents of the apartment complex — BM has a copy — clearly indicated a cover-up. BM then mailed Keppel Land's head-honchos in Singapore and spoke to managers of the security agency who confirmed that the police were distorting the facts. When BM raised the issue with DCP Revanna again on Tuesday, he changed his tune. “There was no intercourse in this case,” Revanna said. “Molestation is different and
Late on Tuesday, Revanna's version changed again. This time he claimed that the girl's guardians had given it in writing to the police that no such incident had occurred. When BM visited the police station on Wednesday morning to take a look at the letter, it was found that the cops had obtained the letter from the victim’s guardians on May 20 — after BM had begun raising questions with the police on the case.
Sources say that a “few” policemen had directed the girl's grandfather to write a letter covering up their lapses. The letter, although written in English, has no signature but mysteriously has a thumb impression purportedly of the guardian. The letter describes everything as a “rumour”.
‘Offenders were handed over to the police’
Replying to an emailed questionnaire from BM, Col JC Narula (retd), senior vice-president (operations & customer relationship management), Keppel Puravankara Development Pvt Ltd, insisted that at no stage was any pressure exerted on either the parents of the victim or the police to conceal the crime. Excerpts.
Was a formal complaint lodged with the jurisdictional police? If yes, when and by whom?
A formal complaint was lodged by the family of the victim. Once the incident was reported at around 8.30 pm on April 27, 2014, the area manager and security manager of Elita Promenade met the family and suggested that they file a complaint with the police. Subsequently after discussions with the Elita Promenade Governing Council (EPGC) group and head of security, the family members filed a formal complaint on April 30, 2014 and the offenders were also handed to the police. The offenders have been produced in court and are now in police custody.
Are there security cameras installed in the apartment complex?
There are no CCTV cameras placed in the complex as this does not come within the purview of our scope of work.
Was the contract with the security agency terminated? What action has been taken against the perpetrators of the alleged crime?
While the security agency has been conducting a strict scrutiny of all security staff, we have asked them to once again run a thorough background check of personnel employed and replace those who appear to have dubious credentials.
Was any pressure put on the family or the police to cover up the incident?
At no stage was any pressure put on the family or the police to cover up this incident. We reiterate that every effort was made to convince the family to file a complaint with the police. The culprits were immediately apprehended and handed over to the police. As mentioned earlier, no effort will be spared to help the family.
WHY NOT SUO MOTU CASE ?
“The victim has to tell us about the incident or a policeman or I should have been eyewitness to the incident. Only then can we book a case,” said DCP Revanna. “If the victim does not say anything, we cannot book a case. Even if we are eyewitnesses to the incident, we cannot arrest the perpetrators immediately as there are chances of them being lovers. Hence, it is only the victim who can tell us if it is a sexual attack. What can we do if the girl says she was never abused?" When BM contacted Handiman, the firm handling security at the apartment complex, they too initially refused to accept that such incident had taken place. After several calls, an employee of the firm said: "We have sacked two security guards over allegations of sexually assaulting the mentally challenged girl.”
