New Delhi: The Centre has filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to withdraw the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security cover given to the Unnao rape survivor and 13 others after reportedly assessing threats to them, according to India Today.
The court on Tuesday directed these individuals to respond to the Centre’s request after the government sought the court to modify its August 2019 order granting security to them.
Alongside the government reportedly argued that the state police should now handle security cover based on local threat assessments and added, citing threat assessment, no ‘perceived threat’ to the survivors or their legal representatives existed.
The Centre cited operational and logistical difficulties that CRPF personnel face alongside the adverse working conditions and ‘misuse’ they were subjected to as the reasons for seeking withdrawal of the security cover.
It is also reported citing the government’s argument that CRPF troops lacked adequate accommodation, toilet facilities, and support from local police.
Raising concerns over financial burden of giving the security cover, the Centre termed it ‘unnecessary and undesirable’.
Revealing the challenges that CRPF personnel faced, the Centre in the petition alleged that the survivors and their associates manhandled security officers, refused to cooperate, and made movements without informing the officials.
It is reported that protectees made security operations difficult by threatening to implicate CRPF personnel in false cases, and threatened to harm themselves.
The Supreme Court ordered in 2019 to provide security cover to the Unnao rape survivor, her family, and her legal team after the survivor raised concerns for her safety.
Following the court order, the CRPF has been providing protection to 14 individuals.
In May, the court rejected the Centre’s request to lift the security cover but the court directed the government to file a plea for modification, hence this latest appeal.