Raped in ’97, German victim to visit India to testify against accused

The Delhi court which is hearing the case has directed the additional commissioner of police,Crime Branch,to personally ensure that there is no further delay.

According to records,the German embassy sought the Indian government’s help in the case in 2002. The Ministry of Home Affairs finally directed the Delhi Police to take action in the matter in 2008. A year later,Singh was arrested,and a chargesheet was filed in August 2010,after years of paperwork between the German embassy,MHA and Ministry of External Affairs.

The Delhi Police reportedly identified Singh,now 35,on the basis of his photograph and fingerprints obtained from the German government’s immigration records.

The chargesheet listed 13 witnesses,including the victim,her mother and two German police officers. The court issued summons several times,but the Germans failed to appear,citing the expenses involved.

Earlier,the court had asked the German embassy to arrange the examination of the witnesses via video conferencing,but gave up the plan following procedural differences between the Indian and German courts. The embassy then asked the Delhi court to arrange for the victim’s travel and boarding expenses.

The case remained stagnant as the two governments and the court worked out the issue of expenses,which took several rounds of orders and letters from the court. The money was finally sanctioned from the Delhi government’s funds set aside to pay poor witnesses who cannot afford to pay for their journey.

After several reminders from the court,the Delhi government sanctioned Rs 2.44 lakh for the travel and boarding expenses of the victim and her mother in October last year.

The witnesses were expected to appear before the court on August 1,but failed to do so. The court was informed that its order to pay for the expenses of the witnesses had not reached the appropriate department.

The case has now been put off to February 2014,and the ACP,Crime Branch,has been told to personally look into the matter and be present in court on that date. Meanwhile,the two others who were arrested in Germany have since been freed,having served their seven-year jail terms.