A Nigerian 34-year-old woman, who was lodged in Bhuj’s Palara jail since January 23 this year, has alleged rape “on three occasions” by a senior jail officer. The matter came to light when, on April 21, she was produced before the Bhuj court in pursuance to the original case. The additional chief judicial magistrate, however, asked her to approach “the court which has jurisdiction over Palara jail and “failed to grant any remedy.”
The woman arrived in India in January 2015 on a valid business vias to procure hair wigs in bulk for her business back home. However, on October 23, 2021, she was zeroed in by the Special Operations Group (SOG), because her visa had expired and she overstayed.
According to her advocate, Dilip Joshi, she was sent to the Joint Interrogation Centre in Bhuj and later, an FIR under sections 465 and 471 of the IPC were registered against her at the Madhapur PS of Kutch on December 6, 2021. In addition, she was also charged with provisions under the Passport Act and Foreigners Act. She was formally arrested on Dec 8.
The woman was produced before the additional chief judicial magistrate on April 21, wherein she narrated her ordeal. She has charged the senior jail officer of forcing her “to have sex” thrice in April. Her complaint also mentions her barrack partner as a witness, since she was asked to leave the cell when the crime took place.
Advocate Joshi’s petition in the Gujarat HC urges probe by an independent agency.
