In a shocking development from Karnataka's Koppal district, a government doctor stands accused of deliberately sabotaging a police investigation into a serious gang-rape case. The Yalburga taluk health officer, Dr Shivakumar V, has been formally booked by the police for allegedly destroying crucial evidence.
The Allegations Against the Doctor
Police have invoked Section 238(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Dr Shivakumar. This section pertains to knowingly causing evidence of an offence to disappear or furnishing false information with the intent to shield an offender from legal punishment. According to the investigation, Dr Shivakumar, who is an orthopaedic and trauma specialist, is alleged to have manipulated the medical examination process of the accused.
It is claimed that he obtained signatures from his assistant on the samples collected but then made key evidence, including DNA samples, unavailable. His role in allegedly protecting the accused came to light during the ongoing probe, even though the primary suspects were arrested swiftly.
Details of the November 17 Crime
The incident that triggered this chain of events occurred on November 17. The victim, a 39-year-old home guard, filed a complaint stating that an acquaintance, Laxmana, owed her Rs 5,000. He called her to Kushtagi town under the pretext of returning the money.
Instead, he took her on a motorcycle to a dilapidated house near Maddur village in Yalburga taluk. There, he allegedly made her drink juice laced with an intoxicating substance. Subsequently, other accused individuals joined him, and the gang-rape was committed.
Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
Acting on the FIR filed by CPI Mouneshwar Malipatil, the police moved quickly and arrested four men within hours of the crime. The arrested individuals have been identified as Laxmana and Basavaraj (both residents of Gajendragad), and Mutturaj and Shahikumar from Yalburga.
While the main perpetrators were in custody, the investigation took a disturbing turn with the emergence of the doctor's alleged involvement. The Yalburga police have confirmed that they are in the process of arresting Dr Shivakumar V. This case highlights a severe breach of trust by a public official tasked with aiding justice, raising serious questions about procedural integrity in sensitive criminal investigations.
