Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA M Raghunathan Rao has accused the Hyderabad Police of sabotaging the minor rape case that occurred in the posh area of Jubliee Hills on May 28.
Speaking to the media at the BJP’s party office on Saturday, the MLA alleged that the incident occurred in a red Mercedez and not inside the Innova.
He accused the police department of “protecting” the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)’s son and his friends.
Displaying private photographs of the minor victim with the alleged perpetrator, Raghunathan Rao said, “The police may claim that the girl has given her consent for the sexual act, but as a practicing advocate I want to caution them that in the case of a minor victim, giving her consent doesn’t hold as per the POCSO (Protection of Child from Sexual Offences Act) Act,” he said.
Expressing doubts about the police handling of the case, Raghunathan Rao said he will produce all the evidence available to him to the court at an appropriate time. He also demanded the state government shift the case to Supreme Court or seek a CBI inquiry.
“Any particulars or any reference to the family which may lead to the disclosure of the identity of the victim/child is an offense. I appeal to the media to stop revealing direct or indirect content related to the victim which may lead to the identification,” DCP West zone said in a press note on Saturday.
VHP accuses Muslims
In another instance of Islamophobic speech, a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Hyderabad on Saturday said that crimes committed by the Muslim community have been increasing because of the TRS government’s encouragement.
Addressing a press conference at the VHP state office in Koti, M Ramaraju, state president of the organization asked whether the state is being ruled by an elected government or by the Taliban or Nizam’s Razakars.
Background
Telangana Police on Saturday arrested two more accused, who are juveniles, in connection with the alleged gang rape of a teenage girl in Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills last week
So far, three accused have been apprehended in the Hyderabad rape case. One accused, identified as Saduddin Malik, was arrested yesterday.
The 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped when she was returning home after a party in the Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad on May 28. The matter came to light after the minor girl’s father submitted a complaint to the police regarding the incident.
On the complaint of the girl’s father, a police case was registered against five persons. The case has been registered under Sections 354 and 323 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 9 read with 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
“The suspect Saduddin Malik was arrested by the police. Out of the five people identified, three are minors,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Joel Davis informed media persons in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a minor, on Friday.
The DCP said police have identified five culprits as per CCTV footage and the statement of the victim.
The security footage which is viral on social media purportedly showed the girl standing with the suspected attackers outside the pub where she had met them. The boys had offered to drop her home.
Instead, she was assaulted inside a parked car in the city. Her attackers took turns raping her while the others stood guard outside the car.
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