Telangana High Court Proposes To Take Action Against Police Officers Who Failed To Register Rape FIRs, Seeks List Of Survivors

While hearing a PIL petition concerning women's safety which also seeks speedy trials in rape cases and details of pending case, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday (December 17) orally asked the litigant to give particulars of the survivors whose complaints were allegedly not being registered as FIRs by police officers so that action can be taken. 

In the previous hearing on October 25, the petitioner had made a prayer in his application for amendment that complaints of the women, who are allegedly subjected to rape, was not being registered as first information reports; however the court had noted that the petitioner "had not furnished any particulars of the victims, whose complaints are not being registered as first information reports" and hence no direction as prayed for by the petitioner can be granted. 

After hearing the matter for some time today, the division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Srinivas Rao noted that on a previous date, the petitioner Dr KA Paul was already directed to file a report showing at least the names of a few women whose complaints were not registered.

The court orally said to the petitioner, “Give a list of names so we can take action against those officers (who are not registering FIRs). Be specific, give us data. When we ask you to furnish the details you give excuses. We will appoint somebody as amicus and deal. This is a matter of safety of women. Recently, Supreme Court has also taken cognizance of a similar matter.”

To this petitioner said that providing list of victims would be harrowing experience for them.

Appointing Senior Advocate G Vidya Sagar as the amicus curiae in the matter the bench further orally said, "A bench of Justice Surya Kant (Supreme Court) has recently taken cognizance of a similar matter, please see what the prayer and what the issues were raised therein. If you show us data, we are ready and willing to take action.”

The bench also granted time to the state to file its response. While granting time the court also orally said that record of preceding 8 weeks should be maintained by the PS (police station) to show that for every complaint that was received for rape, an FIR was registered.

When the matter was first taken up, the court had noted that the prayer of the Writ was vague and not backed by any data. Hence, the petitioner had sought time to amend the prayer.

When the matter was taken up on Tuesday, Paul said that he had filed his amendment petition. It seeks various directions which includes: 

1. Register FIR on every complaint made for the offence of rape. The party in person contended that being a social worker, he has worked with countless women who have been raped by somebody known or unknown, but their complaints were never taken seriously by the Police and no FIR was ever registered.
2. Prayed for a speedy trial in matters or rape.
3. Prayed that the State of TS file a detailed report showing the number of pending cases and the Plan of Action taken up to dispose them swiftly.
4. Prayed that the National Woman's Commission file a report giving an opinion why the crimes against women have been on the rise in recent years.
5. The petitioner also prayed that rape victims who do not have accommodation, be provided free accommodation by the State.
6. To take all precautionary measures to safeguard the identity of the victims.
7. The State can allocate 1% of the taxpayer's money to teach young men how to respect women.

The matter is next listed on January 21. 

Case title: Dr. KA Paul v State 

WP(PIL) 31 of 2024

Counsel for petitioner: K.A. Paul (party in person)

Counsel for respondents: Divya Adepu, Special GP for AG, Gadi Praveen Kuma, Deputy Solicitor General.