Rape Survivor, 15, Sent To Accused's Home By Officials. Assaulted Again

A 15-year-old rape survivor from Madhya Pradesh's Panna district was allegedly sent by the local Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to the home of her accused, where she was subjected to further sexual assaults.

Chhatarpur Police have registered an FIR against 10 individuals, including the CWC chairman, members, and senior officials, for their roles in the case.

The ordeal began on January 16, 2025, when the minor, a resident of a village in Panna district, went missing after leaving for school. Her family filed a missing person report at the local police station.

She was traced and recovered from Gurugram, Haryana, on February 17, 2025, along with the accused, a man from a different village and caste. He was arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, charged with kidnapping and rape, and sent to jail. The case, initially filed at Panna Kotwali police station, was later transferred to Jujhar Nagar police station in Chhatarpur district.

The survivor was presented before the Panna CWC for rehabilitation and was initially placed at the One Stop Center (OSC) in Panna. However, the committee allegedly bypassed mandatory procedures and sent her to the house of the accused's sister-in-law, who also happened to be the girl's cousin. After being released, the accused allegedly raped the minor again. He has since been arrested.

Investigators found that the CWC had not obtained a social investigation report from the Women and Child Development Department to assess the safety of this placement, a critical step required under the Juvenile Justice Act to ensure the child's best interests and protection from harm. Instead, the decision appeared to favour the accused, leading to repeated rapes during her stay.

The survivor's family, desperate for her return, lodged a complaint at the Panna Collectorate's public hearing. The district collector intervened, ordering the CWC to review its ruling. To conceal the blunder, officials reportedly relocated the girl back to the OSC on April 29, 2025. It was only during counselling sessions there that the additional assaults came to light. 

Even then, OSC staff and the District Women and Child Development Officer allegedly suppressed the revelations, failing to report the crimes as mandated by law.

The scandal erupted into public view through media reports, prompting action from Chhatarpur Police. Under the supervision of the Additional Superintendent of Police, SDOP Lavkushnagar Naveen Dubey led the investigation, which uncovered a web of complicity. 

"A crime has been registered against those who made the wrong decision of sending the minor rape victim to the house of the accused and those who hid it. The police are investigating the matter closely. The investigation also revealed that the District Program Officer and the staff of the One Stop Center tried to suppress the case," Dubey stated. 

An FIR has been registered under multiple legal provisions. The Chairman and members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) have been charged under Section 17 of the POCSO Act for abetment of the offense. The administrator and counselor of the OSC have been charged under Section 21 of the POCSO Act for failing to report incidents of child sexual abuse.

Additionally, the District Women and Child Development Officer faces charges under Section 21 of the POCSO Act, Section 4 of the SC/ST Act, and Sections 199 and 239 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), for dereliction of duty and acting against the law.