Gurugram: Woman registers 7 'rape cases' against 7 different men
The Haryana State Commission for Women has asked the state police to probe allegations of "fake" rape cases registered by one woman. Reportedly, the woman registered seven rape cases over the span of one year. Acting panel Chairperson Preeti Bhardwaj Dalal wrote to Haryana Director General of Police PK Agrawal on Tuesday seeking the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the case.
Why does it matter?
India's laws on sexual violence face criticism from both ends of the spectrum, with some activists advocating for a gender-neutral stance. Victims of sexual crimes often complain that the laws need to have a broader definition for punishable offenses, citing instances of coercion, psychological abuse, sexual grooming, etc. However, the latest Haryana case highlights how the existing laws may be misused.
Woman accused 7 Gurugram men of rape
In the letter, Dalal highlighted that the accused woman filed seven cases alleging rape against seven different men at seven different police stations across Gurugram district, Haryana, over the past year. Dalal requested an SIT headed by a female and a male officer to probe the case. The SIT may constitute three other officers, the letter added.
'Laws are like double-edged weapons'
Dalal called for a "thorough and stricter investigation" as the case presumably had "linings of criminal activities which may be similar to sexpinage, extortion, femme fatale - honey trapping." Dalal wrote, "Laws are like double-edged weapons. If they are made to protect the rights of a person, they can also be misused to throttle the liberty of opponents."
2 of 7 cases found false
Reportedly, the case came to light after the woman filed a seventh police case recently, accusing a man of raping her by promising marriage. Two of the seven cases have reportedly been found false. The accused allegedly blackmailed the men she accused of rape and tried forcing them to marry her. She has reportedly been booked by the Haryana Police.
Accused married man after blackmail: Complainant
The women's panel took note of the case based on a complaint filed by filmmaker and activist Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj. According to the complaint, the accused married a 24-year-old man by blackmailing him with a rape case this August.
