Court questions police conduct, seeks accountability in handling of POCSO case
March 25, 2026: The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday strongly criticised the Gurugram Police over its handling of an alleged sexual assault case involving a four-year-old girl. The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, observed that there appeared to be an “all-out effort” to shield the accused instead of supporting the victim. The court was also told that the child’s statement was recorded in the presence of the accused, raising serious concerns over due process.
Taking note of these lapses, the court directed the Haryana government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and ordered all case records to be handed over immediately for an impartial probe. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the victim’s family, alleged that police officials pressured the parents to withdraw the FIR and mishandled the child’s testimony, calling the process deeply flawed and traumatic.
The bench termed the lapses the “worst form of disrespect to a victim” and raised concerns over the broader handling of cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. The court also flagged repeated movement of the child between multiple authorities, which may have compounded her trauma. It indicated the need for stricter guidelines to ensure sensitive and dignified handling of such cases going forward.