New Delhi: Hyderabad police have arrested the fourth accused of the gang-rape of a teenage girl, news agency ANI reported. The police had earlier apprehended 3 juveniles in the case and the fifth accused is still on the run. All three minors were produced before a Juvenile Court for their custody on Saturday, According to a PTI report, one of the teenage boys accused in the incident is alleged to be a son of a leader wielding power in the state.
Last week, a 17-year-old girl was reportedly gang-raped on her way home from a bar get-together in Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills neighbourhood. The police first filed a case of "outraging modesty" when the victim's family members submitted a complaint on May 31.
Later, the police filed a complaint under Indian Penal Code Section 354 and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. The girl was taken to the hospital for an examination.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Joel Davis said at a news conference on Friday night that a case on charges of outraging a woman's modesty and under relevant provisions of the POCSO Act was lodged after they got a complaint from the victim's father, reported PTI.
"Investigation teams have collected and analysed CCTV footage and other evidence, and have identified five people," said Joel Davis, the news agency reported.
"Police teams are on the job of apprehending the other accused, and they will be apprehended within 48 hours," the Deputy Commissioner added.
The girl spoke of her ordeal after she was sent to a 'Bharosa' support centre for women and children of the city police as she is a minor.
The 17-year-old had reportedly gone to a pub in the city for a get-together with friends on May 28. She left for home at around 5.30 p.m. when some youngsters, whom she had met at the pub, stopped her. The youngsters, who told the girl that they would drop her home, later raped her, the complaint read.
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP and Congress stepped up their demand for a CBI probe.
The political heat was apparent with the BJP alleging that the police acted only after TRS leader and Information Technology Minister KT Rama Rao said none would be spared and Youth Congress activists staged a protest in front of the DGP office here over the 'delay' in police action. BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao, at a press conference, displayed some photographs and alleged that it 'showed' an AIMIM MLA's son's 'involvement' in the case.