The National Commission for Women has sought the immediate arrest of the accused in an alleged rape case involving a nine-year-old girl in Ranchi district, along with an impartial, time-bound investigation and an action-taken report from the Jharkhand police within seven days.
NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar took suo motu cognisance of the case on Wednesday after a report by the Times of India. The accused, who was reportedly known to the survivor’s family, is absconding, according to the report.
In her communication to the Jharkhand director general of police, Rahatkar asked the state authorities to ensure that the investigation proceeds without delay and that the commission receives a detailed account of the action taken. The case concerns an alleged sexual assault of a minor in Ranchi district. The survivor has not been identified.
The NCW’s intervention came during Rahatkar’s visit to Jharkhand, where she was also reviewing the investigation into the death of tribal activist Nisha Kumari Bhagat. Bhagat allegedly died by suicide in Ranchi on November 6 after accusing the state government, local administration and land brokers of harassment during a social media livestream.
After meeting Bhagat’s family in Gumla, Rahatkar said the commission had been unable to meet the Gumla deputy commissioner, superintendent of police, the DGP or the chief minister despite seeking appointments. She alleged that the administration had shown “indifference” towards women’s safety and had failed to cooperate with the commission.
Rahatkar also said more than 536 cases from Jharkhand were pending before the NCW. According to her, the commission had not received responses in more than 15 cases in which it had taken suo motu cognisance. These figures were cited by the NCW chairperson during her visit and were reported by the Times of India.
The status of the accused in the Ranchi case and the progress of the police investigation were not detailed in the supplied report beyond the information that the accused was absconding. The NCW has sought a formal update from the state police within seven days, making the report the next stated institutional milestone in the case.
Rahatkar also raised concerns about the functioning of the Jharkhand State Commission for Women, which she said had remained non-functional for six to seven years. JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey said the state government would begin the process of reconstituting the commission after the festivals.
Pandey said statements on the matter should not be driven by political bias and added that he was confident the commission received appropriate responses. Referring to Bhagat’s case, he said the chief minister had ordered a CBI inquiry after her family demanded one, describing the government’s response as proactive.
The NCW’s requested seven-day action-taken report will indicate the steps taken by the Jharkhand police in the Ranchi case and whether the commission receives the response it has sought.
