28 April,2011 10:00 AM IST | | Kaumudi Gurjar
Lone constable arrested after 11 trainees in Kolhapur become pregnant points finger at seniors, his wife demands victims' narco test, MP wants immediate transfer of all senior officers
Pressure is mounting on the authorities to initiate action against senior police officers in Kolhapur after several newly recruited women constables undergoing training there were found pregnant. It is alleged that senior officers are involved in the sexual exploitation of the women trainees but are being shielded.
It wasn't me: Arrested constable Yuvraj Kamble has denied all charges
against him in his police statement and said his seniors were behind
the sexual exploitation of women trainees
Amruta Kamble, wife of police constable Yuvraj Kamble (32), who alone has been arrested in this case so far, has demanded that narco-analysis tests be conducted on the 'victimised' women constables to reveal the real culprits.
Member of Parliament Sadashiv Mandalik from Kolhapur has demanded transfer of all senior police officers, including Superintendent of Police Yashaswi Yadav. Hasan Mushrif, MLA from Kagal constituency, has demanded that Meeran Chaddha Borwankar, the commissioner of police of Pune, should conduct the inquiry in the matter.
The case
At least 11 women police constables undergoing training at the Kolhapur Police Training School (PTS) have reportedly tested positive in pregnancy tests. They have now been shifted to Nagpur for training after the incident came to light. The first woman constable who was found pregnant lodged a rape case against Kamble, a trainer at the PTS, at the Shahpuri police station.
Kamble, in his statement to the police, denied all the charges and instead blamed his senior officers Police Inspector Dnyaneshwar Munde of Shahpuri and Deputy Superintendent of Police Parkale of being behind the sexual exploitation. Recently, Home Minister R R Patil had ordered Additional Superintendent of Police (Nashik Rural) Maithili Jha to conduct the inquiry in the case.
Seniors shielded?
In a press release, MP Mandlik has demanded transfer of all senior officers currently posted at Kolhapur, including that of SP Yashaswi Yadav. "Yadav has consistently failed to take action against the tainted Inspector Munde of Shahpuri police station," Mandlik has stated. When contacted, MLA Mushrif said his demand was that a senior woman officer like Borwankar should be conducting the enquiry against the accused as there was a possibility of influence being used on an officer of the level of additional SP like Jha.
'Won't spare guilty'
Addressing mediapersons, Additional SP Maithili Jha said, "All the distressed women constables should come forward and lodge a complaint against the accused. The identity of all such constables will be guarded. If any senior police officer is found involved in the sexual exploitation, he will not be spared."
Asked about Amruta Kamble's demand, Jha said, "I could not meet her today as I was busy interrogating Yuvraj and recording statements of other persons concerned with the case. But I will hear what Amruta has to say and I assure her that her grievances will be taken care of."
