Telangana HC Demands Data on Unregistered Rape Complaints
Last Updated on December 18, 2024 by Athi Venkatesh
The Telangana High Court on December 17 asked petitioner Dr. KA Paul to submit details of women whose rape complaints were not registered as FIRs by the police. The bench, led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Srinivas Rao, stressed the need for specific data to take action against non-compliant officers.
In earlier hearings, the court noted that the petitioner failed to provide particulars of victims, making it difficult to grant any directions. The petitioner argued that naming victims would be distressing for them.
The court appointed Senior Advocate G Vidya Sagar as amicus curiae to assist in the case. It directed the petitioner to study a similar case recently addressed by the Supreme Court to refine his arguments. The court also instructed police stations to maintain records of rape complaints and FIR registrations over the past eight weeks.
Dr. Paul, representing himself, emphasized that he works with rape survivors whose complaints are often ignored by the police. He seeks directives to:
- Register FIRs for all rape complaints.
- Expedite trials in rape cases.
- Provide free accommodation for homeless rape survivors.
- Protect victims’ identities.
- Allocate 1% of taxpayer funds for educating young men on respecting women.
- Obtain reports on pending rape cases and rising crimes against women from the state and the National Women’s Commission.
The court criticized the vague nature of earlier prayers but expressed willingness to act if concrete data is provided. The state has been given time to respond and must ensure FIRs are registered for every rape complaint.
The case is scheduled for the next hearing on January 21.
Case Title: Dr. KA Paul v State
WP(PIL) 31 of 2024
