The family of the 82-year-old woman who was allegedly raped in Kiphire has submitted a representation to the Chief Minister, Home Minister, Chief Secretary and Superintendent of Police, Kiphire, seeking urgent intervention to ensure a fair and transparent investigation into the case.
In the representation, submitted through the victim’s daughter, the family expressed apprehension that procedural lapses and deliberate laxity in the investigation could weaken the prosecution’s case and ultimately benefit the accused.
The family demanded strict preservation of the chain of custody of all evidence, including forensic samples, digital records and seized materials, stating that any unexplained deviation or delay could compromise the integrity of the investigation. It further urged authorities to maintain a rigorous and documented chain of custody for every piece of evidence collected in the case.
Alleging that the Officer-in-Charge of the concerned police station had failed to provide certified copies of the FIR, medical examination report and other investigation-related documents despite repeated requests, the family claimed that the withholding of such documents violated the victim’s statutory rights and obstructed efforts to seek timely legal remedies.
The representation also called for the immediate recording of the victim’s statement before a Judicial Magistrate under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), stressing that the advanced age of the victim and the psychological trauma she has endured make the matter extremely urgent.
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The family further requested that no police personnel from the concerned station be present during the recording of the statement to ensure that it is given voluntarily and without any form of influence.
Raising serious concerns about the conduct of the investigation, the family alleged that there may have been attempts to fabricate circumstances that could enable the accused to invoke legal defences related to intoxication.
According to the representation, the accused was allegedly made to consume alcohol after the commission of the offence and before being presented before law enforcement authorities. The family contended that the accused was sober at the time of the alleged offence and that any effort to portray otherwise amounted to a deliberate attempt to manipulate evidence and weaken the prosecution’s case.
The family has demanded a separate investigation into what it described as a possible criminal conspiracy to screen the offender, suppress material facts and sabotage the judicial process.
Further, the representation warned that if the investigation is compromised through procedural lapses, destruction of evidence, broken chains of custody or non-compliance with statutory requirements, the family would approach the High Court seeking transfer of the investigation to an independent agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The family appealed for immediate administrative intervention and sought assurance from the authorities that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure a fair, transparent and impartial investigation and the delivery of justice.
