Palanpur: A head constable posted at Sami police station in Patan district has been booked for allegedly failing to register a rape complaint and instead telling the complainant to submit an application describing the matter as a minor dispute.According to police, a 29-year-old woman living on the outskirts of Gajdinpura village in Sami taluka was raped on the night of Aug 25. She approached Sami police station on Sep 14 and 16 to lodge a complaint.Head constable Kalubha Bachuji, who was on duty at the police station, failed to register a first information report (FIR) for the alleged rape and instead told the victim her to submit an application regarding a verbal dispute.After the incident, a preliminary inquiry was conducted by the deputy superintendent of police attached to the SC/ST Cell in Patan, on the directions of the office of the director general of police (DGP) and the Patan DSP.During the inquiry, statements of the persons concerned were recorded and documentary evidence was examined. The allegations against the head constable were found to have substance, prompting a recommendation for legal and disciplinary action.Acting on the directions of the Patan DSP, Sami police station in charge inspector A PJadeja lodged a complaint against Bachuji.The head constable has been booked under Section 199(c) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to failure by a public servant to record information relating to a cognisable offence, police said.
