Apex court asks AIIMS doctors to visit victim

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwikar and D Y Chandrachud asked two doctors to go to the hospital with a special ambulance, assess the medical condition of the victim and shift her to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) if the situation so warranted. It sought a report from the doctors by Thursday.

The baby was raped allegedly by her 28-year-old cousin on January 28 in a locality near Netaji Subhash Place in north- west Delhi.

"We are more concerned about the health of the infant," the bench said, after which the Centre assured it that the child will get the best medical care.

The court also asked a member of Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to accompany the doctors during their visit to the hospital where the baby victim is admitted.

The plea, filed by lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava, said the external and internal injuries of the child were very severe and the infant had to undergo a three-hour long surgery.

"Presently, she is admitted in a local Delhi hospital in an extremely critical and painful condition, battling for life. The said victim baby girl belongs to an extremely poor family. Her father works as a labourer and her mother works as a domestic help," the plea said.

The plea sought a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the victim's parents and framing of guidelines that investigation and trial of the cases involving rape of children below the age of 12 years, under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act, should be completed within six months from the date of registration of the FIR.

The police had said the accused, who has been arrested, had confessed to raping the baby under the influence of liquor.

The girl's parents used to go out for work leaving their daughter in the custody of their sister-in-law. Since it was a Sunday, their sister-in-law's son was at home, police had said, adding that when the accused saw that his mother was not around, he allegedly forced himself on the baby.

When the girl's mother, who works as a maid, returned home at around 12.30 pm, she saw blood stains on the victim's clothes and informed her husband, they said, adding she was rushed to a hospital where it was found that she had been sexually assaulted. Subsequently, cops were informed and a case was registered. The baby underwent a surgery and her condition was stated to be stable, police had said.