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Synopsis

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the State Government to inform the court about the action taken against the erring police officers of Badlapur Police Station in a sexual assault case.

A division bench of the high court, comprising Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice PK Chavan, was hearing a suo moto PIL registered by the court after protests erupted over the sexual assault of two minor girls in a kindergarten school.

The counsel appearing for the victims submitted that no action had been taken against the erring police officers, except for a departmental inquiry. However, the high court stated that it would not interfere until the departmental inquiry was concluded.

Advocate General Birendra Saraf informed the bench that, as per the inquiry, charges of dereliction were found against one of the officers, and the report had been forwarded to the Commissioner for necessary action.

The State Government had transferred the investigation to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case.

The Badlapur Sexual Assault case pertains to the sexual assault of two minor girls, aged 3 and 4, by a school cleaner, who was later shot dead by the police.

Saraf also informed the bench that steps were being taken to disburse the compensation amount under the Mandhairya scheme for sexual assault victims.

The bench directed the police to file a report before the high court, explaining the steps taken against the erring police officials.

The bench had earlier formed a committee to suggest steps to be taken for the safety of children in the school.

The committee includes retired Justices Sadhana Jadhav and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi, retired IPS officer Meera Borwankar, education professionals Sucheta Bhawalkar and Jaywanti Baban Sawant, psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty, and Brian Seymour, President of ICSE and ISC preschools in Maharashtra and Goa.