Delhi rape survivor's family alleges police tried to bribe them

New Delhi: The family of the minor girl, who was raped by her neighbour after holding her captive for four days, alleged today that cops had offered them Rs 2,000 to hush up the case and they made insensitive remarks, charges denied by the police. The victim's father also alleged that police refused to register a rape case after she was rescued.

"Yesterday night a policeman came and asked me to come out. He told me nothing will happen by involving public. He told me that you should take care of the child and be with her. Public would not help you and he also handed me Rs 2,000 and left. He said I should cover my pocket expenses from this money," the victim's father alleged.

He also claimed that police refused to lodge a case when he went to the police station to lodge an FIR. "If they had made a better attempt, they would have found her. Police told me to be happy that she was alive," he alleged. He also claimed that doctors refused to give him any information beyond the fact that his daughter was critical.

The five-year-old girl is battling for life due to infection contracted from foreign objects found inside her body, doctors said. Responding to the allegations, Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said the matter is being investigated. "Whosoever has done this, and if it has been found that he has done this, it will be handled departmentally and such act cannot be tolerated. Police force has to work for the public.

"I can assure you that it would be handled departmentally. An enquiry would be conducted and we are appointing senior officials to conduct the probe," Bhagat said, adding that inquiry would be done independently. The girl's mother said her daughter was kidnapped when she went out to play. "The man then locked her up in his room and raped her. I want justice from the government," she said.

A relative of the victim alleged that when they went to the police station to enquire about the case, the personnel told them that now they should pray for her recovery as she has been rescued. Refuting the allegations, a senior police official said they found the child from the same building where the girl lived with her family and rushed her to the hospital. He said they immediately registered a case of kidnapping as soon as the matter was reported to them.