Kejriwal to order magisterial probe, NCPCR seeks charges against Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: As Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said his government will order a magisterial probe into the alleged rape and murder of a nine-year-old Dalit girl in South-west Delhi's Old Nangal area and announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the child, the Central government's National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) wrote to the Delhi Police seeking criminal charges against senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for posting a picture of him consoling the parents — their complaint — the picture identifies the parents, thus identifying the child, which is illegal.

Significantly, the Delhi Commission for Women had before this already initiated an inquiry and sought a report from the Delhi Police regarding the probe so far. More than a day later, the NCPCR took cognizance of the case and wrote to Delhi Police about the case but they also decided to seek an FIR against the former Congress chief.

The Congress on Wednesday demanded a fast-track probe in the case and death penalty for the culprits, one of whom is a priest, who worked at the crematorium, where the girl was cremated without the parents' consent.

Moreover, with reports suggesting that the Delhi Police had not registered a case immediately, the party also sought a probe against the police, after Rahul Gandhi met with the victim's family on Wednesday morning.

He said that he is with the victim's family on the path to justice and "will not back down even an inch".

He said the family is demanding nothing but justice and is saying that they are not getting it and need all the assistance in this. "I told them that Rahul Gandhi is standing with them till they get justice and will not back down even an inch," he told reporters.

After the crime, hundreds of locals, including the victim's parents, have been staging a protest near the site of the incident in the Old Nangal area, demanding capital punishment for the accused.

Of organisations that spoke about the case, the VHP also sought the death penalty.

The police had on Monday said based on the statement of the victim's mother, rape charges have been added in the FIR. Four people, including the priest, have been arrested.

Asked with whom does the responsibility lie in the case, Gandhi said: "I only know that it is my job to help them."

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, who along with several party workers accompanied Gandhi to meet the victim's family, attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter, saying far from ensuring justice to the victim, the PM had not even offered condolences to the family.

In addition, several Opposition parties targeted Union Home minister Amit Shah over the incident, questioning the law and order situation in the national Capital, even as the Delhi Police said strict legal action has been taken against the accused.

Later in the day, Gandhi posted a picture of his meeting with the girl's parents on Twitter and said in a tweet in Hindi: "Parents' tears are saying only one thing — their daughter, the daughter of this country, deserves justice. And I am with them on this path to justice."

However, taking cognizance of this tweet and picture, which the NCPCR said identifies the parents of the minor victim — thereby identifying the girl herself, which is a criminal offence, the child rights body wrote to Twitter's grievance officer, seeking that this content be removed. It also wrote to the Delhi Police, asking it to "act" on purported violations of the POCSO Act and the JJ Act.

Interestingly, the NCPCR's communication recommending action against Rahul Gandhi came moments after BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra targeted the Congress leader over his visit to the victim's family.

Patra had alleged violation of the POCSO Act and the JJ Act in Gandhi's post and had urged the NCPCR to take cognizance of the matter and issue a notice to the Congress leader.

Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, prohibits disclosure of the identity of children while Section 23 of the POCSO Act, 2012, lays out the procedure for media coverage of such cases and Section 228 of the IPC prohibits publishing the identity of sexual assault and rape victim.

And in its letter to Twitter, the NCPCR has gone ahead to seek a "detailed report" on the action taken against Gandhi's Twitter account for this post in the next three days.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Kejriwal on Wednesday said his government will ensure that the best of their prosecutors fight on behalf of the victim and her family so that the harshest punishment can be handed down to them.

Importantly, the Chief Minister said he would help the Centre if asked to but that such a law and order situation in the Capital could send a wrong message to the world.