Chandigarh: In a major shift of stance since reports of women being gangraped near Murthal in Haryana during the agitation by the Jat community over reservations, the Haryana government today accepted that the gangrapes did take place and that it was investigating the matter.
The admission came at a hearing in the Punjab and Haryana High Court which pulled up the Haryana government for seeking more time to "collect more facts" in the Murthal gangrape case.
The counsel appearing for the Haryana government, however, admitted that rapes had taken place during the Jat quota agitation in February in Murthal.
The Haryana government claimed before the court that it had got "fresh leads" into the alleged gangrape incidents. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said at this stage, it could not be said as to which way the investigation would lead to but there were some leads. Hence, the state be given more time which was granted.
The court too categorically asserted that the Murthal rapes had undoubtedly taken place.
"There can be no doubt...even they (Haryana) are not denying it," observed a division bench of justices SS Saron and Lisa Gill.
In further rap for the Haryana government, the court reprimanded it for not admitting earlier that the incidents had even taken place.
"Earlier, there was reluctance on your part to even register an FIR. But now, you have accepted that rape had taken place," the bench said.
The assertion came after Mehta sought additional time to come up with "something more concrete".
Responding to the request, the bench asserted that the fact of rape had not been denied and it was now all about identifying the victim and accused.
"Let's not deviate from the main path which is identification of the victim and ensuring justice," the bench observed. "This time, things had gone too far. We want results," it remarked.
Media reports had earlier claimed that at least 10 women were gang raped on the night of February 22 by a group of nearly 40 hooligans during the Jat community`s agitation or reservation. The women were allegedly pulled out of their cars, stripped and gang raped in nearby fields. The victims later reached a nearby popular dhaba and sought help.
Reports also showed visuals of torn women's clothing, including inner wear from the alleged crime site in Murthal. The reports were dismissed by the Haryana Police.
