A member of the Howrah chapter of the child welfare committee who is also the son of a former deputy mayor of Howrah has been arrested in connection with charges of sexual abuse of children at Karuna West Bengal Women and Children Welfare Society, a government-run home in Howrah.
Sumit Adhikari was arrested on Tuesday in the case for which 10 others — including his wife Gitasree and a senior official of the rank of assistant director in the state government’s women and child development and social welfare department — had been arrested earlier.
A senior officer said Sumit allegedly had “full knowledge” about the incidents happening in the home where his wife Gitasree was attached as the secretary.
“Being a member of Howrah’s CWC wing, Sumit Adhikari would often visit the home but never raised any alarm against the malpractices that have been reported inside the home,” said a Howrah police commissionerate officer.
The home that is officially enlisted with the central government agency — “Central Adoption Resource Authority” — offers children for adoption. According to the rule, these children, who are either orphans or have been abandoned by their biological parents, are being officially taken care of by state government-aided homes till their adoption process is completed.
However, according to a complaint received by the police, a child from the home, who was adopted by a family, had shared with the new parents how she had been sexually abused in the home. Based on her statement and a formal complaint lodged by the child’s mother, Howrah city police had started a case.
Sections of sexual harassment under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and charges of rape under the Indian Penal Code have been levelled against all the accused persons.