• Source:JND
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In a deeply disturbing case from Madhya Pradesh, a 15-year-old rape survivor was sent back to live in the house of her accused rapist only to be sexually assaulted again. The decision, taken by local child welfare authorities in Chhatarpur, has triggered outrage and an ongoing police investigation.

According to an NDTV report, an FIR has now been filed against 10 individuals, including members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), its chairman, senior district officials, and others. The officials are accused of bypassing mandatory legal procedures that are meant to protect minors in such sensitive situations.

The survivor, a young girl from a village in Panna district, had first gone missing on January 16, 2025, after leaving school. Her family reported her missing, and she was finally traced a month later on February 17 in Gurugram, Haryana. She was found with the accused, a man from another village, who was arrested on the spot and booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The case was initially registered at the Panna Kotwali police station before being moved to Jujhar Nagar police station in Chhatarpur district.

What makes the case even more tragic is that the accused was related to the girl, his sister-in-law was also the teenager’s cousin. After the case was filed and the accused sent to jail, the girl was referred to the Panna CWC for rehabilitation.

Initially, she was placed at the One Stop Center (OSC) in Panna, a safe shelter meant for survivors of abuse. But in a shocking and careless move, the CWC later transferred her to the home of her cousin, the accused’s sister-in-law where the accused also had access after securing bail. There, he allegedly assaulted her again.

Police have confirmed that the second assault occurred because the CWC ignored critical legal safeguards. Before placing a minor anywhere outside official care, the law requires a social investigation report from the Women and Child Development Department to assess the safety and suitability of the placement. In this case, that report was never obtained.

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Chhatarpur Superintendent of Police Agam Jain told The Indian Express that an FIR has been registered against the CWC chairperson, five committee members, the District Women and Child Development Officer, and others under multiple legal provisions.

The girl’s family, devastated by what happened, brought their concerns directly to the Panna district administration. Their complaint at a public hearing prompted the district collector to intervene, and the girl was finally moved back to the OSC on April 29, 2025.

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It was during a counseling session at the OSC that the survivor bravely opened up about the repeated assaults she suffered while staying at her cousin’s house. NDTV reported that she shared the full extent of her trauma during therapy.

SDOP Lavkushnagar Naveen Dubey told NDTV, “The police are investigating the matter closely. The investigation also revealed that the District Program Officer and the staff of the One Stop Center tried to suppress the case.”

The incident only came to wider public attention after media coverage exposed the gross negligence. That triggered a formal police response and criminal charges under Section 17 of the POCSO Act, which deals with abetment of sexual offences against children. Additionally, the CWC administrator and a counselor were booked under Section 21 of the POCSO Act, after failing to report the sexual abuse.