Convenor of JAC Against Rape and Sexual Harassment of a SIMS student on Tuesday questioned the government's silence in the case. Saying that two months have passed since the FIR was registered in the case but no arrest has been made so far, it asked whether the government was protecting the culprits.
"We wonder if the state government is protecting the culprits from being arrested", convenor Laishram Roshni questioned.
Addressing the media at the Manipur Press Club, Imphal on Tuesday, Roshni said that the FIR was filed on August 16 with regards to the incident and even the accused had filed anticipatory bail before the lower court and before the HC.
The anticipatory bails were rejected by the lower court in August and were dismissed by the HC on October 10, respectively. It has been a week after the anticipatory bails were dismissed by the HC but the culprits are yet to be arrested, she said.
Also Read: SIMS Rape Case: HC dismisses anticipatory bail applications
"Even the vehicles used then have not been seized and this has raised doubts as to whether the state government or non-state actors are indirectly protecting the culprits," she said.
Police assured of arresting culprits but not even a single evidence has been collected in connection with the incident, she claimed and added that clothes worn by the victim during the incident were washed and handed to the victim's family. Why were the clothes washed, she asked.
She drew the attention of civil society organisations, NGOs, student unions and Meira Paibis to support the JAC for justice.
Also Read: SIMS rape case: JAC threatens to launch protest
A consultative meeting on crime against women in the present scenario of Manipur was also held in connection with the incident.
The anticipatory bail application for the four accused, namely SIMS founder-cum-managing director Yumnam Surjitkumar along with teachers Y Nonibala alias Sonia, L Kunjarani Devi and SK Wajiv Shah, was dismissed by the HC on October 10.
Also Read: SIMS Rape Case: It was pre-planned, says JAC; demands arrest of culprits
