Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the Thane Police Commissioner to immediately suspend the senior police inspector, assistant sub-inspector and head constable of Badlapur police station who delayed action in the initial stage of the school sexual abuse incident.

In an horrific incident, two kindergarten girls, aged three and four years, were allegedly sexually abused by a school attendant. The incident triggered a massive row, with the protestors vandalising the school and the mob disrupting train services. Reportedly, the accused was arrested on August 17.

Furthermore, the local police station in-charge was transferred for failing to act promptly on the parent’s complaint. Notably, two separate investigations, one by the education department, another by the police were ordered to probe the delay in filing the case.

Previously, the government had also ordered the setting up of a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged sexual abuse of two girl students of a school in Badlapur in Thane district. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis stated that the SIT will be led by Inspector General of Police-rank officer Aarti Singh.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also ordered the case to be fast-tracked with special public prosecutor appointed, and directed that the accused be charged with attempted rape under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Reportedly, during the initial probe, the police found that the CCTV installed in the school was not working. The officials stated that the school management did not ensure women-all staff to take care of young kids. Meanwhile, the school management suspended the principal, a class teacher, and a female attendant as the case sparked demonstrations. 

Additionally, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) asserted that it would send a team to Thane to investigate the case. The NCPCR also questioned the delay in registering the FIR and pledged to ensure accountability.  

The Supreme Court on Tuesday formed a 10 member task force to prepare a national protocol for ensuring safety and facilities for doctors in the wake of the rape and murder of a medic in Kolkata. The top court observed that the working conditions have made doctors and health professionals susceptible to violence.

The 10 member task force will submit its interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months. A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said that protecting women doctors is a matter of national interest and the principle of equality does not demand anything less.

The Supreme Court voiced that the nation cannot await another rape for things to change on the ground. It stated that there are legislations to protect medical professionals but they do not address the systemic issues. The ten members of the task force include surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Managing Director Asian Institute of National Gastrology, Dr M Srinivas, Director AIIMS, Delhi, Dr Prathima Murthy, NIMHANS, Bangalore, Prof Anita Saxena, Head Cardiology, AIIMS Delhi, Prof Pallavi Sapre, Dean, Grant Medical College, Mumbai, Dr Padma Srivastava, Neurology department, AIIMS, Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri and Dr Saumitra Rawat.

The top court bench stated that the cabinet secretary and the home secretary to the Centre shall be the ex-officio members of the national task force. The apex court also directed the CBI to file a status report by August 22 on investigation in the Kolkata rape-murder case and West Bengal to file a status report by August 22 on progress of investigation into mob attack on the RG Kar hospital.

The Supreme Court was hearing a suo motu case related to the rape and murder of a postgraduate medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata amid the nationwide doctors’ strike over it.

Union minister Jitendra Singh today wrote to the chairperson Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on cancelling the lateral entry advertisement as per directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Last week, the UPSC advertised for 45 posts namely, 10 of joint secretaries and 35 of directors/deputy secretaries to be filled through the lateral entry mode on a contract basis. Notably, this scheme is aimed at appointing specialists, including those from the private sector in government departments.

The letter mentioned that while most of the major lateral entries before 2014 were made in an ad-hoc manner, including cases of alleged favouritism, efforts of the government have been to make the process institutionally driven, transparent and open.

It further mentioned that the Prime Minister is of the firm belief that the process of lateral entry must be aligned with the principles of equity and social justice enshrined in the Constitution, particularly concerning the provisions of reservation.

This development follows a day after BJP ally and Union minister Chirag Paswan on Monday voiced concern over making any appointments in government posts without providing reservation, as the political row over lateral entry escalated, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging it was an attack on the Dalits, OBCs and adivasis.

Meanwhile, the Centre accused the Congress of making misleading claims on the biggest tranche of lateral recruitment in bureaucracy being undertaken by it, and claimed that the move will not affect the recruitment of SC/STs in the all India services.

Furthermore, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that lateral entry in bureaucracy has been happening since the 1970s during the Congress-led governments and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Montek Singh Ahluwalia were prominent examples of such initiatives taken in the past.

In addition, Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal slammed Rahul Gandhi for his claim that the government was trying to bypass the reservation system, reminding the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha that Manmohan Singh was made the finance secretary in 1976 through the lateral entry route. 

Notably, lateral entry into bureaucracy refers to the recruitment of individuals from outside the traditional government service cadres, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), to fill mid and senior-level positions in government departments.