Three Goa police constables who have been found guilty of sexually abusing a girl inside a police van and allegedly preparing a video clip, are likely to be let off with minor punishment as there is no complaint against them.
"Police cannot initiate criminal action against the trio as there is no complaint against them. We are trying to trace the girl in the video clip. It may be consensual sex too. We can ascertain it only after taking her statement," superintendent of police and spokesperson for Goa police department Atmaram Deshpande told reporters here yesterday.
Three policemen including head constable Sandip Naik had approached the victim, allegedly a commercial sex worker standing by the roadside near Calangute beach, almost ten months ago and had threatened her of arrest if she failed to fulfil their demands.
While Naik sexually abused her inside the patrolling van, the other two constables prepared the clip and circulated it among their colleagues.
A departmental inquiry is on against all the three cops and disciplinary action has been initiated against Naik, who has been suspended, Deshpande said. However, the police official made it clear that in case of a complaint, the policemen could not be charged with rape but with molestation.
He also said that police could not take suo motto cognizance in the matter banking on the video clip.The police official said that the departmental probe will also check on how many policemen were having the video clip.
"To have a video clip in the mobile is not an offence but to circulate it is an offence under information technology act," Deshpande said.
Earlier, Calangute police inspector Nolasco Raposo had conducted an inquiry into the incident and submitted the report to superintendent of police (North) Bosco George following which he compiled another report based on which the head constable was suspended.
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