Commissioner told to appear before court

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has directed the Pune police commissioner to remain present before the court on Friday in an alleged abduction involving a 17-year-old girl. The court issued the direction while hearing a petition filed by the girl’s father, stating that the police had failed to trace the minor’s whereabouts.

A vacation bench of the high court comprising Justice S.J. Kathawala and Justice Ajay Gadkari was hearing a petition filed by the father of the 17-year-old girl who was kidnapped by a local goon last month; the goon planned to force the girl into marrying him.

According to the petition, the girl was missing since April 6, 2018, and a wanted criminal of Pune had kidnapped her. The accused even called the girl’s brother from her mobile, informing him that she was with the accused and that they were soon getting married.

On April 6, the girl’s mother approached Faraskhana police station, Pune, and registered a FIR. The girl’s father (petitioner) alleged that the police inspector of Faraskhana police station wrongly mentioned in the FIR that his daughter was in love with the accused.

Earlier, the court had directed the public prosecutor to summon the investigation officer for the next hearing but the investigation officer was absent. Irked, the court then directed the Pune police commissioner to remain present before the court along with the investigation officer.