Sonepat sisters’ case: Rohtak District and Sessions Judge hails panchayat’s move, girls’ lawyer fumes

Rohtak, December 27

Rohtak District and Sessions Judge Sushil Kumar Gupta today said the alleged molestation and thrashing case involving two sisters of Sonepat could be settled through social intervention. The statement comes a 
day after a panchayat in Kansala village decided to attempt a compromise between the two parties involved in the case.
However, the girls’ lawyer, Attar Singh Pawar, termed the move to settle the matter through mutual compromise as well as the judge’s stance in this regard as “frustrating and unfortunate”.
“There is already social pressure on the girls and their family. Such a stance would increase the pressure on them manifold. This judicial officers should refrain from making such statements,” he stated.
Addressing media persons today, the judge said there was no legal obstacle in settling such cases of compoundable offences through a mutual compromise. This case could be settled by the panchayat if both sides agreed to it.
A special panchayat at Kansala village in the district yesterday made efforts to get it settled through a mutual compromise. A 33-member committee was also constituted for the settlement of the case.
The boys’ counsel, Sandeep Rathee, has welcomed the move to get the matter settled through a mutual compromise.
“Getting the matter settled through a mutual compromise with social intervention is a dignified option. I have no objection to it, provided my clients agree to it. However, it they are not, we will pursue the case in the court,” Rathee said.
Pooja and Aarti, two sisters from Thana Khurd village in Sonepat district, had accused three boys of Aasan village in Rohtak district of molesting them on board a Haryana Roadways bus on November 28. The sisters had thrashed the boys and lodged an FIR against them.
The accused — Kuldeep, Mohit and Deepak — were arrested and later released on bail, while a special investigation team (SIT) was formed to probe the matter. Polygraph tests of the complainants as well as the accused were recently conducted at CBI forensic lab in New Delhi recently.
Judge Gupta, however, pointed out that the outcome of the polygraph tests was not considered a clinching evidence, though it could provide leading clues to the investigators.