SIT formed after gang rape accused kin term charges false, demand justice

Varanasi: Investigation into the case of alleged gangrape of a 19-year-old girl by 23 men over seven days took a turn after families of the accused, armed with audio and video evidence, staged demonstration and demanded justice, asserting that the girl's families had leveled false allegations. Police commissioner Mohit Agrawal formed a special investigation team on Thursday for detailed probe, stating until submission of SIT report, no arrest will be made of any accused in the unidentified category.
Families of accused reached district headquarters with placards and started demonstration before submitting their memorandum seeking justice.
One of the protestors, Dilshad Ahmed, said while guilty should be punished severely, it was not right to implicate innocent. Women protestors said, "Families of some of the accused have left their homes as they are finding it difficult to face society," adding that the girl's allegations should be investigated thoroughly as she was active on social media.
Talking to TOI, CP stated, "Apart from family members of accused, people from various organisations submitted their memorandum with video and other evidence demanding justice, after which, SIT was formed under DCP (Varuna Zone and Crime) Pramod Kumar with instructions to probe case thoroughly and submit report within 30 days. Until submission of SIT report, no arrest will be made of an accused in the unidentified category."
He added, "Families submitted records, including Instagram chats of the girl with the accused and videos she uploaded during the period in which she claimed she was held captive by them. The families of accused alleged that money was being demanded from them threatening that if they didn't pay up, their names would be added to the case." Agrawal said that in the FIR, the girl and her family named 12 persons and 11 unidentified, but when her statement was recorded in court, she named only nine.
Assuring them no injustice will be done to anyone in the case, the police commissioner formed an 8-member SIT under DCP (Varuna Zone and Crime) Pramod Kumar. Other members of the SIT are ADCP Varuna Nitu, ACP (Crime) Shruti Srivastava, ACP Cantt Vidush Saxena, surveillance cell in-charge Dinesh Kumar Yadav, SOG in-charge Manish Mishra, cybercrime cell in-charge Manoj Kumar Tiwari, and station officer Lalpur Pandeypur Rajiv Kumar Singh.
Earlier, Additionally, DCP Gomati Zone Pramod Kumar was given charge of DCP Varuna office, which was vacant after Chandrakant Mina was attached to DGP office due to his alleged unsatisfactory performance in this gang rape case.
The gang rape case was lodged by the girl's family on Apr 5, alleging she was drugged and raped by 23 individuals over seven days. Police lodged FIR against 23 individuals, including 12 identified. A total of 14 accused were arrested by Wednesday. During a medical examination, the survivor was diagnosed with hepatitis B. During his stay at LBSI Airport on Apr 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought details of actions taken in the case from the police.