The girl, who belongs to the Dalit community, alleged that when she came to the police station, the SO, Satyendra Sheel, took her in a room to “record her statement” and then raped her.

The ADG (Law & Order), Brij Lal, said Sheel had not raped the girl, but he has been suspended. The Superintendent of Police (SP) Ferozabad—Chandra Prakash said, an internal inquiry concluded that “it was a case of molestation, not rape.”

The CO Jasrana, Jai Prakash, who conducted the inquiry, said the circumstantial evidence and the statement of other policemen suggested that the SO was alone in a room with the girl and he made advances on her. “But the doors of the room were open and no attempt was made to rape the victim. Still, since the girl alleged rape, a detailed investigation is on,” he said.

The Station House Officer of Jasrana, BD Pushkar, is formally investigating the case. Sheel was suspended after the Prakash’s report was submitted to the Superintendent of Police, Chandra Prakash.

The 18-year-old girl, a resident of Keshpura village, had come to the police station after her brother lodged an FIR at the Fariha police station on February 7, alleging two local men, Tinchu and Shilesh, had raped her.

Sheel asked him to bring her and get her statement recorded, said Chandra Prakash. The brother later alleged that the girl rushed out of the room and told him that the Sheel had raped her.

Earlier, the girl had denied that she had been raped by Tinchu and Shilesh, the SP said. Initial inquiries revealed that she had eloped with Tinchu and her family had forcibly brought her back. Later, they lodged the FIR.