NGO director rape case: Madhu Kishwar says it is no ordinary rape
Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal

New Delhi, December 21, 2013: Madhu Kishwar, Founder MANUSHI journal and Professor, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies who recorded the victim's statement on rape charges against Dr Khursheed Anwar, said that the case is no ordinary rape.

Kishwar in a statement stated that she was approached by seven members including the victim from an NGO called Boond in her office on September 19, 2013. Kishwar was persuaded by a friend and colleague Ahmer Khan, who told her that the woman victim, a volunteer of Boond team, who was incidentally a leading member of the anti-rape agitation, was completely devastated by the alleged brutal rape by Dr Khursheed Anwar.

Boond is a part of Khursheed Anwar's NGO.

According to a press statement issued by Madhu Kishwar, on September 19 around 5:30 pm, six members of the Boond team - namely Ahmer Khan, Tapan Kumar, Nalin Mishra, Swati Mishra, Neeraj Hari Pandey and Nandan Tripathi along with the victim came to her office telling her that they needed legal advice as well as a good lawyer to help the woman file an FIR.

Kishwar wrote "As a general practice, I make it a point to video record the testimonies of all those who come to me for legal or other forms of intervention � be it rickshaw pullers, street vendors, or victims of domestic violence.

This ensures that I get the facts of the case accurately.

It also ensures that the victim has to take responsibility for her/his statement".

she reiterated that she took the victim's consent to record her statement.

The press statement says that all of the other six member's statement were also included, some of whom were present on that night at Dr Anwar's house for the dinner party.

In the statement, the victim stated that the drink, allegedly mixed with some drugs, that was offered to her was so strong that she completely passed out and could not even stand on her feet, that even the next morning she was so sick, she could barely walk and vomited several times even while being driven back to Ila Joshi's flat.

According to the victim's statement, it was 'no ordinary rape' said Kishwar, the victim alleged that the sheer brutality of the multiple acts had injured her private parts and left her in agony for days on end, so much so she had difficulty even passing urine and stool.

The statement of the victim said that she was subjected to terrible pressure to hush up the matter and all the material evidence of the alleged rape had been deliberately destroyed by founder members of Boond.

Therefore she needed to consult a lawyer whether she can still file an FIR.

Kishwar further directed them to a lawyer, Ashok Agarwal with advice to handle the case sensitively.

It may be mentioned that Kishwar had been accused of handling the case for political gains and publicity.

In the press statement she maintained that she gave the video statement recording to the victim, through her friends, the next day.

Kishwar stated "it is totally up to her (victim) to decide what to do with the DVD.

I will only stand behind her and not take any initiative of my own that could prematurely precipitate matters for her".

Kishwar reiterated "I did nothing to pursue the matter, I neither phoned her (victim) nor tried to contact her either by mail or any other means because I did not want to put the slightest amount of pressure on her.

I am of the view that in such sensitive matters which involve considerable risk for the victim, all those who wish to support her must never jump ahead of her to precipitate matters.

The victim has to be given freedom and time to assess her fighting and risk taking capacity".

Later, Kishwar came to know from the lawyer that the victim was being pressured and emotionally blackmailed by the founder members of Boond, and that she was extremely worried about the likely impact of this incident, if publicized, on her ailing mother and financial problems.

Kishwar also later came to know that the victim suddenly left for her home town on September 23 because she was in acute distress.

On September 29, 2013, Kishwar got a call from the victim from Manipur, narrating that her relatives beat her up saying "she should not have come back alive".

Kishwar was further informed that some associates of Khursheed Anwar had actually hinted to Nalin (victim's friend) saying they were willing to buy the girl's silence by paying her up to Rs 20 lakhs.

Moreover, in a letter dated November 26, written to the victim by six Board members of ISD, namely Mohammad Azhar, Purva Bhardwaj, Jayant Kumar, Kalyani Menon Sen, Juhi Jain, Sarita Chuahan clearly indicated that they found enough prima facie evidence to set up an internal inquiry.

The said letter signed by Juhi Jain, stated that the member tried to contact her and need her to 'stand by her statement' to enable them to take up the case.

At some point the matter reached the National Women's Commission which not only decided to take up the case and press for an FIR but also went public with the case through India TV, said Kishwar.

Comment