'Painful parallels with 2012 Nirbhaya case,' says SC as it takes suo motu cognisance of minor's gang rape

The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the alleged gang-rape of a 16-year-old Class 11 student from Uttar Pradesh inside a moving sleeper bus in the Delhi-NCR region, saying one cannot help but draw “painful parallels” with the 2012 Nirbhaya incident.

The teenager was allegedly assaulted on August 4 after she sought help from the driver and conductor of an empty bus during heavy rain.

The court said such incidents starkly highlight failures in law enforcement and raise serious concerns about the safety of women and children. The matter was taken up by the apex court on its own following reports of the alleged crime.

The Supreme Court is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and the steps taken by authorities in response to the alleged assault.

The girl, who was travelling from Mainpuri to Noida to meet her cousin, had got off at Pari Chowk after mistakenly alighting there amid heavy rain and poor visibility. She later flagged down the bus and boarded it after the conductor told her that it was headed towards Noida Sector 63.

According to police sources, the conductor allegedly made inappropriate advances towards her soon after the bus began moving. The driver and conductor then allegedly sexually assaulted the teenager and threatened her with dire consequences if she resisted.

The accused allegedly abandoned the girl near the Kashmere Gate bus terminal later that night and fled.

The teenager subsequently approached Kashmere Gate police, who arranged for her medical examination in the presence of a woman police personnel.

An FIR was registered based on her statement under relevant provisions relating to gang rape, kidnapping and assault.

Police teams examined CCTV footage and traced the bus and the accused. The conductor was arrested from a parking facility in Timarpur, while the bus was seized for forensic examination. Police have also collected CCTV footage and other evidence as part of the investigation.

Sources said the bus was returning empty after undergoing repairs at a workshop in Surajpur. After the repairs, the driver and conductor were travelling towards the Timarpur parking facility when they encountered the girl at Pari Chowk.

This is a developing story

'Will there be any accountability?': Rahul Gandhi slams Centre, UP govt after gang-rape on moving bus