Naliya panel extends deadline for submitting affidavits

The Justice (retired) AL Dave Commission, which was formed to inquire into the alleged Naliya sex scandal, has extended the deadline for submission of affidavits in connection with the case, till the end of this month.

This is the third extension in the deadline for submission of affidavits.

The Commission had issued advertisement in newspapers on February 19 inviting those having information about the alleged incident to submit affidavits with it by March 19. However, the panel extended the deadline for submission of affidavits till April 9 after not a single affidavit was received. Sources in the home department said that the deadline has been extended until April 30 as still no affidavit has been received.

The alleged Naliya incident involved gang rape of a 34-year-old woman who was forced into a sex racket after the accused, some of the BJP office bearers and leaders, raped her for more than a year beginning August 2015. The victim had filed a complaint in January 2017, alleging that the accused had made a video of the act and had blackmailed her. She had alleged that they were running a sex racket in Kutch and had also victimised other women. Kutch police booked ten people for gangrape and other charges following the complaint.

The Opposition Congress cornered the BJP both inside and outside the House in the wake of the sensational incident, which had led the government constituting the Commission in March last year.

Meenakshi Joshi of Forum of Concerned Citizens for Naliya Incident had alleged in February that almost a year after the Commission was set up, it had not received a single representation or talked with anyone. She alleged that the panel was formed only to quell the uproar that had erupted in the wake of the incident coming to light.

While announcing the formation of the Commission under the Commissions of Inquiry Act in March last year, minister of state for home Pradipsinh Jadeja had said that the panel would submit its report within three months of its first sitting. However, in absence of any affidavits, the preparation and submission of the Commission's report could take longer.

During the budget session, the state government said in the House that more than Rs9.11 lakh had been spent on the Justice Dave Commission as of January 31, 2018. The information was provided in response to questions by Congress MLAs.

IN A NUTSHELL

• The alleged Naliya incident involved gang rape of a 34-year-old woman who was forced into sex racket after the accused, some of them BJP office bearers, raped her for more than a year.
   
• Meenakshi Joshi of Forum of Concerned Citizens alleged in February that almost a year after the Commi-ssion was set up, it had not received a single representation.