Lawyers ask SC to take suo motu cognizance in missing law student case, SC says will look into it

A group of advocates has approached the Supreme Court urging the Court to take suo motu cognizance of the case of the missing law student of Shahjahanpur. A law student from Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh went missing after she accused a BJP leader of sexual harassment on a Facebook video.

The law student from the Swami Shukdevanand Law College, Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh had uploaded videos online accusing BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand of sexual harassment. The student went missing three days after the allegations were made.

A group of advocates has written a letter to the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi appealing that the Court take cognizance of the issue. The matter was also mentioned before the Bench headed by Justice NV Ramana on Wednesday

The letter says that while SC has interfered in matters concerning human rights before, a suo motu cognisance of this incident is pertinent lest there be another instance like the Unnao case.

"...we as a society cannot allow another Unnao case to happen. This Hon'ble Court has been interfering in letter petitions when it comes to protection of human rights", the letter states

When the matter was mentioned on Wednesday, SC was initially reluctant to entertain the plea, and asked the lawyers to approach the concerned High Court. However, the Bench later on directed the lawyers to hand over the letter, assuring them that the Court will look into it.

Ex-Union minister Chinmayanand booked for abduction

The Uttar Pradesh police has lodged an FIR against former Union minister and BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand, officials said.

Shahjahanpur Superintendent of Police S. Chanappa said Chinmayanand was booked late Tuesday night under IPC Sections 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder) and 506 (criminal intimidation) based on a complaint by man, who accused the former minister of state for Home of having sexually harassed his daughter.

According to the police, the girl, a law student at Swami Shukdevanand Postgraduate College in Shahjahanpur, had on August 23 posted a video clip on the social media alleging that Chinmayanand, the director of her college, was threatening to kill her and her family as she had evidences that could land him in trouble.

with IANS inputs