SHO, sub-inspector suspended in Noida over missing legal provisions in rape case

Noida: Two police personnel posted at Phase III police station — the station house officer (SHO) and a sub-inspector — have been suspended for allegedly omitting crucial legal provisions in a rape case, officials said. Police on Friday said the accused, identified as Vikas Kumar alias Mohd Rameez, a native of Chhatarpur, has been arrested.

The case was registered on March 17 on the complaint of a 24-year-old woman from Madhya Pradesh employed with a private firm in Noida. She alleged that a 26-year-old man, whom she met through social media two years ago, entered into a live-in relationship with her while concealing his religious identity and raped her on the promise of marriage.

In her complaint, the woman further alleged that when she pressed for marriage, the accused coerced her to convert her religion and later extorted money before fleeing. Initially, the FIR was registered under Sections 69 (sexual intercourse by deceitful means), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 308 (extortion) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The lapse came under scrutiny after protests by right-wing groups outside the police station, prompting a review by senior officers, who found that relevant provisions had not been invoked.

Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh has sought an explanation from Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Shakti Mohan Awasthi, while a preliminary inquiry has been initiated against Assistant Commissioner of Police Umesh Yadav.

The suspended officers — SHO Punit Kumar and sub-inspector Preeti Gupta — failed to include provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act and the SC/ST Act in the FIR, despite allegations of forced religious conversion and caste-based remarks.

Additional DCP Rajendra Kumar Gautam said the accused had been absconding and two teams were formed to trace him. The probe into the procedural lapse has been assigned to an officer of

assistant DCP rank.