'Bete ko padhao, beti ko bachao': Bombay HC on Badlapur sexual assault case | Latest News India

Last month, the court took cognizance of the incident on its own initiative after two four-year-old girls were sexually abused by a male guard in the school's toilet.

Advocate General Birendra Saraf, representing the government, told the court during Tuesday's hearing that a chargesheet would be filed shortly.

The court noted that a special investigation team (SIT) was set up because the local police had failed to properly investigate the case and “there was a strong public outcry”.

“This is a bigger problem. This case will set a precedent for all future cases of this kind. The public is watching and the message we are sending is important,” the court said.

“Do not rush to file the chargesheet. There is still time. Do not be influenced by public pressure. The investigation must be done thoroughly before the chargesheet is filed. Make sure everything is in order before filing the chargesheet. Make sure the case is watertight,” the judges said.

The court also reprimanded the SIT for the “stereotypical” manner in which the case diary was maintained. “Is this the manner in which a case diary is maintained? Is it a practice in which an investigating officer maintains a case diary in a stereotypical manner?” asked the HC.

Every step of the investigation must be noted in the case diary, the judges said, noting that details were not mentioned in the diary. The purpose of a case diary is defeated if it is written in this manner and it actually reflects the sloppy investigation of this case, they added.

With PTI inputs