Guwahati: A 13-year-old victim of rape has just moved in to a shelter home in Assam. She was brought here by the child welfare committee of constituted by the government. Majority of the women and children here are victims of abuse.
The girl was working as a domestic help in a Guwahati household and was allegedly raped repeatedly for more than a month by her employer.
When NDTV followed the story, there were more shocking revelations. After Childline, an emergency helpline for children, took this case to the Child Welfare Committee, the case was disposed off against an amount of Rs 25,000 only. And the accused was let off.
"It's only a statement of the girl, there is no evidence. Based on the girl's statement we cannot send her to court for she will be more harassed there," said Renuka Devi Barkakati, from Child Welfare Committee.
Some non-governmental organisations followed up the case and the accused has now been arrested.
"The minimum sentence for rape is seven years and the CWC, which is not even a criminal court has disposed off the matter with just a fine of Rs 25,000. The CWC is not a criminal court. It doesn't have the jurisdiction to deal with such cases," said Anju Talukdar, Advocate and Co-ordinator, Human Rights Law Network.
This is not the first time the CWC has disposed off such cases. Another case of an eight-year-old domestic help allegedly raped was settled for just Rs 1,000.
Ironically, the agency meant for welfare of children seems to be abusing the very idea of welfare.