New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Thursday ordered an inquiry against Delhi Police officials for shoddy investigation of a rape case due to which the accused could not be arrested for over a year.
Justice Kailash Gambhir, while asking Delhi Police commissioner to hold an inquiry against the erring police officials, said: “The faith of the common man certainly gets shaken when no action is taken by the police against the criminals, even in such heinous offences like that of rape.”

The court had earlier dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Arif who is accused of raping a girl April 16, 2008.

After the court’s intervention the police arrested Arif Nov 11.

“No doubt the police is stated to have taken certain steps seeking the arrest of the petitioner (Arif) but that again appears to be lopsided just to fulfil the empty formality as the police failed to arrest the petitioner for a period of more than a year,” the court observed.

“The explanation given by the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) in his affidavit is far from satisfactory and the same clearly demonstrates that the concerned police officials were hand in glove with the accused petitioner and did not take any steps to seek his arrest,” the court said while asking the police commissioner to file a detailed status report before it.

“If the police, during the investigation, collected sufficient material, the statement of sister-in-law of the victim was recorded and the medical report clearly indicated that the victim received external injuries, then in such a serious offence, there was no reason as to why the petitioner was not arrested,” the court had earlier said.

Arif in his submission stated that he worked with the education and tourism minister, on this the court said: “The petitioner is a mere political worker with whom there are rare chances that minister had a scheduled meeting.”

According to the prosecution, Arif had allegedly raped a girl April 16, 2008 in a van and then pushed her out of the vehicle.

However, Arif contested the charges, claiming he was with the minister that day, a fact which had been verified by the police.