Here is a case, in which the alleged accused, a police constable, is behind bars, but the complainant himself is untraceable.
The Government Railway Police in Badnera in Amravati district of Maharashtra are now in pursuit of Champalal Shantilal Jain, 42, from Chennai, who registered an FIR at the Badnera railway police station almost six months ago. He gave his address as No. 42, Kalve Chet, Mount Road, Chennai.
“A police team went to Chennai to trace him, but we could not locate the address; nor could the local police help us. The mobile number given in the FIR turned out to be that of a newspaper dealer in Chennai. Our investigation has been stalled, and we are unable to file a charge sheet because of this,” B.B. Suryavanshi, assistant police inspector, GRP, Badnera, told The Hindu on Saturday.
Champalal alleged that constable Vilas Patil had harassed some of his women companions, part of a group of 200 persons, when they were travelling on the Navjeevan Express from Ahmedabad to Chennai. The other members of the group, Mahavir Jain, Virendra Jain and Pradip Jain, along with Champalal, handed the constable over to the police. A case under sections 509 (insult to the modesty of a woman), 504 (intentional insult) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code was registered and Patil was arrested.
Mr. Suryavanshi said the police had to record the statements of the victims and trace the other offenders, if any. Inquiries with the Railways drew a blank.
(Those with any information can contact the Badnera railway police at 0721-2681261, 09637042936, 09823148736).
