Overview
- Acting on Wednesday, a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant set up a three-member SIT under senior IPS officer Nazneen Bhasin and directed Gurugram Police to hand over all records by Thursday.
- The court said police downgraded the case from Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which covers aggravated penetrative sexual assault, to the lesser Section 10, calling it an effort to protect the accused.
- It disassociated the police commissioner and the investigating officer from the probe and issued show-cause notices to officers and Child Welfare Committee members, while also seeking an explanation from a hospital doctor over changes to a medical report.
- The bench sought the magistrate’s written response on recording the child’s statement near the accused and said the investigation process re-traumatised the four-year-old through repeated, insensitive questioning.
- Media reports note that three suspects were arrested only after the case was brought before the Supreme Court, as the justices now keep the investigation under close watch.