mid-day impact: Following a series of reports in this paper, Maharashtra Director General of Police Subodh Jaiswal cracks the whip on errant Navi Mumbai cops for shielding their colleague
DIG Nishikant More
The Navi Mumbai police have finally booked Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nishikant More for molesting the minor daughter of his friend at her birthday party in June this year. The police began the process of registering the case on Maharashtra's Director General of Police (DGP) Subodh Jaiswal's orders. Jaiswal was given an enquiry report by the Navi Mumbai police, whose chief had earlier told mid-day that there was insufficient evidence to register an FIR.
The 17-year-old girl recorded her statement in front of female police officers from Taloja police station and her family at her residence on Wednesday and Thursday. mid-day has been persistently reporting about the June 5 molestation and Navi Mumbai police dragging its feet in filing an FIR. A complaint had been sent in July to DGP Jaiswal too. After mid-day's November 23 report, the DGP ordered an enquiry.
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Confirming having ordered the FIR, DGP Jaiswal said, "This is a normal process we follow in such cases." DIG Nishikant More, posted with police's Motor Transport department in Pune, has been not reachable ever since the FIR was registered on Thursday evening. The girl was given a set of 12 questions written in Hindi, which she had to answer. In her detailed statement, the survivor said, "At around 8 pm I was told that Nishikant uncle is coming home with his family to celebrate my birthday. I met him when I reached my building and went with him in the lift. I sensed he was inebriated. Once Nishikant uncle entered my home, he asked for a drink (alcohol).
DIG Nishikant More
My father gave him whatever was available at home. At around 9 pm, my brother came home with a cake. After the cake was cut, my brother smeared it on my face and Nishikant uncle's son did the same. After that, More uncle scooped it from my face and licked it. I told him to not to do it but he asked me to keep quiet. Then a piece of cake fell on my chest and he tried to collect it from there but it fell down. While taking the piece of cake from my chest, he touched me inappropriately. I felt uncomfortable and scared. My father told him, 'Wo pagal ho gaye hain'. I again told him to stop, then his wife said 'aisa hi hai to pura chaat lo na'. I felt disgraced and went to my bedroom."
According to the teenager's statement, when her school reopened on June 7, More's wife often spoke to her about the incident. "My school is located opposite auntie's (More's wife) house. Several times, she took me to her residence and showed me the video she had taken on June 5 and would tell me, 'ye dekho Nishikant uncle ne tumhare saath kya kia hai, tumko kuchh samajhta nahin hai kya?' She would check my mobile every time," the statement read.
The statement also revealed that More would touch the girl's cheeks and kiss her whenever she visited his place to play with his son. "I always resisted and tried to stop him but he threatened me saying he will imprison my parents. That's why I never told anyone about this," the statement read. "The FIR got registered only because mid-day highlighted the incident, otherwise nothing would have happened. I have been running pillar to post for justice, but nobody helped us. I am thankful to the Navi Mumbai police too for realising their failure and registering the FIR. I hope police will arrest him without any further delays," said the girl's father.
Police speak
Zonal DCP Ashok Dudhe said, "After recording a fresh statement of the survivor, a molestation case has been registered under the relevant sections of the IPC and POCSO Act." "A special lady officer has been appointed to investigate the matter under the guidance of the DCP. I cannot comment on the arrest at present," said Kashinath Chavhan, senior police inspector of Taloja police. With inputs from Vishal Singh
June 5
Day the incident occurred
Dec 26
Day FIR was registered
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