Kohima: The family of an 82-year-old woman allegedly raped in Kiphire has submitted a formal memorandum to the Nagaland government, including the Chief Minister and Home Minister. They are calling for immediate intervention to address concerns about the integrity of the ongoing criminal investigation, specifically alleging that procedural lapses are being used to weaken the case against the accused police personnel.
The family expressed deep concern over the way authorities have handled the collection and preservation of evidence. They requested that all digital records, forensic samples, and search documents be stored in tamper-proof containers to maintain an unbroken chain of custody. According to the memorandum, the family has faced significant roadblocks, including the refusal by the local Officer-in-Charge to provide necessary documents like the FIR and medical reports. They described this as a clear violation of the victim's statutory rights.
The memorandum stated that the family fears the investigation is being conducted with "deliberate laxity" to create loopholes for the accused. They also alleged that there may be a conspiracy to fabricate evidence, specifically warning that investigators might falsely claim the accused was intoxicated during the incident to mitigate criminal liability. The family maintains the assault was premeditated and that the accused was sober at the time.
To protect the victim, the family is demanding that her judicial statement be recorded before a Magistrate under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita without any local police presence. They have warned that if these standards of transparency are not met, they will seek to transfer the case to an independent agency through the High Court. The family has also alerted the National and State Human Rights Commissions, seeking accountability for any attempts to obstruct justice.
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