AIMIM MLA's son named as accused in Hyderabad gang-rape case
The minor son of an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA has been named as the accused in the gang-rape case that happened in upmarket Jubilee Hills of Hyderabad City on May 28. All six accused, one adult and five minors, have been arrested and are now in custody. The son of a ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader is also accused in the case.
Police booked them under stringent sections
The first five accused have been booked under sections of gang-rape, abduction, voluntarily causing hurt and sections of POCSO Act. This means they could get the death penalty, 20 years in jail or lifetime imprisonment. The sixth accused, the MLA's son, was not booked for rape. He has been booked for outraging the modesty of a woman, voluntarily causing hurt and also sexual assault.
We have strong evidence: Police
"We have booked them under stringent sections so they get the maximum punishment for this heinous crime," Hyderabad police commissioner CV Anand said. Anand said there is strong evidence against those who committed the gang-rape, and they would be tried in a special court.
Police initially said that MLA's son was not involved
Initially, police had said that the MLA's son was not involved in the gang-rape as he had left the group at a local pastry shop. However, BJP MLA Raghunandan Rao last week released a video clip and photographs of the teen and her assailants, alleging the presence of the MLA's son in a car with her. He alleged police were involved in a cover-up.
Cops found about his involvement later
Following the BJP MLA's allegation, commissioner Anand admitted that they had come to know of his involvement in the initial sexual assault on the girl only after the video and photos were released by the BJP leader.
What do we know about the incident?
Harassment of the girl began around 3 pm inside a pub which was booked by 100 students at Rs. 1,300/person. "Subsequently, they trapped her outside the pub at around 5:40 pm after her friend left," Anand said. One of the boys had offered her a ride and the "girl was trapped by the CCLs (children in conflict with the law)," Anand said.
Innova car in which the victim was assaulted recovered
Police said the accused took the victim in an Innova car to Road number 44 behind Pedamma temple in the posh Jubilee Hills area. They parked the vehicle there and then took turns to rape her, said commissioner Anand. The car was recovered Tuesday from a farmhouse. The unregistered car was apparently recently assigned to a politician, the father of one of the accused.
