Patna Police registers FIR in Gaighat shelter home sexual assault case

Facing criticism over the Gaighat shelter home sexual assault case, the Patna Police have finally registered an FIR against the shelter home superintendent Vandana Gupta.

The FIR (13/2022) was registered on Wednesday night under sections 354A (Sexual assault) and 450 (Forcibly giving heady tablets to inmates) in the women police station. Earlier, the Patna High Court took cognizance of the matter and asked the victims to register their statements in the court on February 11. Sources said that the police registered an FIR in the pressure of the court.

Kishori Sahchari, the SHO of the women police station confirmed the development. She said that Sub-Inspector Lushi Kumar is the investigating officer of this case.

The FIR was registered after a second victim came forward and filed a complaint against Vandana Gupta. She also levelled the same charges as the first complainant, who had given a written application in the women police station Gandhi Maidan. Sources have said that a third victim also came forward to register an FIR against Vandana Gupta.

The second victim, in a complaint to the police said: "She stayed in the Gaighat shelter home for 4 years and was released in 2020. Vandana Gupta used to give intoxicant medicines to inmates and also invited youths inside shelter home for sexual abuse and assault of inmates. If any inmate opposed it, Vandana Gupta used to beat her and she did not allow canteen staff to serve food to them."

"When I was released from the shelter home in 2020, she was handed over to a Muzaffarpur-based tout," she said.

Earlier, the first complainant had lodged a written complaint against Vandana Gupta on January 29. She also levelled similar allegations on her. She along with the members of Mahila Vikas Manch went to Senior Superintendent of Police and District Magistrate offices as well but none of them helped her. As the Patna police did not register an FIR on that complaint, the video of the victim went viral on social media.

Following the allegations, the social welfare ministry of the Bihar government gave a clean chit to Vandana Gupta and alleged that the complainant was mentally unstable.