Hyderabad: The Innova car in which the 17-year old girl was raped at Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills contains "ample evidence" despite being washed, police said. Forensic teams have discovered samples that prove sexual assault, the police said, as per a report on NDTV. The evidence collected from the car includes tissues and an earring of the survivor who was gang-raped by five, including three minors, the report said.
The teenage girl, who visited a pub in Hyderabad's upscale Jubilee Hills on May 28, was allegedly raped by five persons, including three juveniles. The girl was sexually assaulted in a car after the suspects had offered to drop her home.
So far, four persons, including an 18-year old accused and three minors linked to politicians, have been apprehended in connection with the case.
Based on the survivor's statement, police registered the case under IPC Section 376 D and sections 5 and 6 of the POCSO Act. Since there were bruises on the survivor, Section 323 of IPC was also added.
Police Intensify Probe
Stepping up the pace of the investigation, the police on Monday recorded the second statement of the victim. They are also likely to widen the scope of the probe by questioning more suspects.
After a video released by BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao raised new questions about the alleged involvement of a son of an MLA, the police are now said to be focusing on his possible role. The video allegedly shows the victim with the MLA's son in a compromising position in a car.
However, the police clarified that they had nothing to suggest regarding the involvement of MLA's son based on the first statement of the survivor and the technical evidence gathered by the probe team.
The BJP MLA was criticised for revealing the victim's identity and has been booked under section 228-A of the Indian Penal Court (IPC). Police are also investigating how the MLA got the video.
Raghunandan also disputed the police claim that the girl was sexually assaulted in an Innova vehicle. He claimed that the crime was committed in red-colour Mercedes.
Meanwhile, the fifth accused remained at large even four days after the case came to light and police identified the accused.
On Sunday, police announced the arrest of a fourth accused. He was the third juvenile to be taken into custody.
"So far out of 5 accused persons determined, one major and 3 juveniles are apprehended, and efforts continue to apprehend the remaining. Further investigation is in progress," Deputy Commissioner of Police Joel Davis said.
Saduddin Malik (18) was arrested on Friday, while two accused, both juveniles, were arrested on Saturday. The second major accused, Omair Khan (18) is still at large.
One of the juveniles involved is the son of a Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader, who heads a government-run minority body.
(With IANS Inputs)