NEW DELHI: Almost three weeks after registering a case, the Delhi Police have arrested four persons for allegedly gang-raping a US national in April this year at a five-star hotel in Lutyens zone.
The victim had earlier said that she was not happy with the Delhi police’s investigation. The victim arrived in Delhi on December 20 after the Delhi Police asked her to join the probe. After the questioning, she left for Nepal. “On Monday evening, Delhi Police arrested four accused, including the guide, a bus driver and helper of a tourist bus. We have also arrested a hotel staffer,” Delhi Police spokesperson Dependra Pathak said.
“On December 3 Delhi Police registered a FIR over the incident. We have arrested four accused in the case. The complainant was helpful. She came down to Delhi, had her statement recorded before the police and court and also helped in collecting evidence,” Pathak said.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) issued a notice to the Delhi Police protesting that the Rape Crisis Cell was not informed after the police recorded the victim’s statement. Citing orders of the High Court, the commission said that it was deeply saddened that the Delhi Police did not inform the Crisis Intervention Centre/ Rape Crisis Cell counseller.
“This is a very serious matter and a gross violation of the directives of the Delhi High Court in the case wherein it was ordered that the duty officer, immediately, upon receipt of the complaint/ information of a rape case, intimate the same to the Rape Crisis Cell/Crisis Intervention Centre which shall respond to calls of sexual assault and provide counselling,” the commission said in its notice to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi.
On December 8, the tour guide, accused of raping the victim along with his accomplices, was questioned by the police after his arrival from Nepal.
The guide denied his involvement in the matter and told police that the victim had given positive comments about him and that the internal inquiry by the travel agency hadn’t found him guilty.
The woman had alleged that she was raped by a group of men for two days in a hotel.