NEW DELHI: The police have informed the Delhi High Court that it concluded the investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a nine-year-old Dalit girl here and is providing round-the-clock security to the parents of the victim.
Delhi Police told Justice Yogesh Khanna, who was hearing the parents' petition for the constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) for a court-monitored probe, that after the filing of charge sheets, the matter was now listed for framing of charges before the trial court.
On providing full-time security to two other witnesses, it said there are many cases pending against them and there is no cogent material to show any threat perception.
The police said that it would nonetheless take proper action on the complaints lodged by the two witnesses on being threatened twice.
The investigating agency informed that the four accused persons were still in judicial custody.
Considering that the matter was now under trial, the court said that nothing further was required and disposed of the parents' petition.
The judge clarified that in case the two other witnesses in the case seek assistance, the mobile numbers of the beat constable should be provided to them.
Since the matter is now under trial, hence, nothing further is required to be done in the present matter.
Nevertheless, the mobile numbers of the beat constable be provided to the witnesses namely Mr Hardayal Singh and Mr Nitin Bagga so in case of any emergency they may be contacted with.
In view of the above, the petition stands disposed of, the court ordered on November 8.
The minor Dalit girl died under suspicious circumstances on August 1 even as her parents alleged that she was raped, murdered and cremated by a crematorium's priest in southwest Delhi's Old Nangal village.
On August 17, the court had sought a report from the police here on the status of investigation into the case.
The police had then told the court that an SIT has already been constituted after the case was transferred from the local police station to Crime Branch.
It was stated that two accused persons have admitted to the crime and provisions for alleged commission of offences of murder and rape under the Indian Penal Code, section 6 under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 have been added to the FIR.
In view of the State's stand, the court had observed that the prayers in the petition seemed to have been answered.
In their plea, the parents of the deceased child had stated that they had no faith in the present investigation.
The plea had sought adequate safety and security to them as well as the other witnesses in the case along with judicial inquiry into the lapses on the administrative front in the case in order to reveal the reason behind the delay in police response and "why no vital evidence was preserved".
They alleged that the total focus of the police was to hush up/sabotage the case and that the parents were tortured and pressurised by the police and its agent to compromise the case.
The parents had claimed that they belong to the poorest section of society and are illiterate and are under the force and influence of various groups having vested interest.