The investigation so far conducted by the police has established that the girl who was briefly detained with Major Leetul Gogoi at a Srinagar hotel on May 23 is an adult. Since both of them are consenting adults, there is “no legal basis to register an FIR” into the incident as “nothing incriminating” against them has been found yet.
However the police, which would also be submitting a status report of the investigation before the Chief Judicial Magistrate this week, is likely to “recommend” or “seek disciplinary action” against Major Gogoi for violating the standard operating procedures or the service rules.
As exclusively reported by Kashmir Post, the Budgam girl in her statement before a Magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC had said that she came to the hotel “of her own free will” as she wanted to spend time with the Army officer who was “already known” to her as both of them first “met on Facebook.”
“The probe is on. But no FIR has been lodged as yet. There is no legal basis for registering an FIR as nothing incriminating has been found out yet. Both are consenting adults,” a police official privy to the probe told Kashmir Post.
The girl had showed the Magistrate her Aadhaar card, which mentioned her year of birth as 1999. “The date of birth of the girl has been verified from other sources also and based on that it has been found that the girl is a major,” the police official said.
The official also said the claim of the girl that she first met Gogoi on Facebook has also been corroborated. “Both met on Facebook, got well acquainted and have been together on several occasions,” he said.
When asked if the investigation team is also looking into other angles like trafficking, he said, “We are also looking into other angles but so far nothing incriminating has been found against the two. And since the girl is a major, we may not be taking action in the matter,” he said. The official, however, said the police might recommend disciplinary action against Major Gogoi to the Army authorities for having violated the SOP or service rules, as the case may be. The police will also file the report before the CJM as directed.
Major Gogoi, Girl consenting adults, can’t book them: Police
