HYDERABAD: Even as Hyderabad was rocked by protests over the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in an Innova car on May 28 after a pub party, the West Zone police on Friday said five youths including one 18-year-old have been identified as the accused in crime.
Saduddin Malik, 18, has been arrested, while another 18-year-old, Umraan Khan, is absconding. Among the three other accused, one of the boys is the son of a top Waqf Board official who the police did not name as he is a minor.
“In compliance with the guidelines, as he is a minor, he was not apprehended. He will be apprehended during day time on Saturday. Our teams are working to trace the two other minors who are absconding,” said West Zone DCP D Joel Davis at a press meet late on Friday as anger poured out onto the streets of Hyderabad.
Davis said the victim and other boys went to an eatery at Banjara Hills in two cars. While returning, as the driver of the Mercedes was not willing to drive, the girl boarded the Innova along with the accused. Under the pretext of dropping her home, they took the vehicle to an isolated location and raped her in the vehicle, one after the other. The DCP however refused to reveal details about the car owner, as the vehicle is part of the evidence and might lead to identification of the victim and other minors accused of the offence.
Cops scour CCTV footage
DCP Davis categorically ruled out the involvement of Telangana Home Minister Mahmood Ali’s grandson in the incident. “They are baseless allegations and are being spread by people with vested interests. Analysis of CCTVs, CDRs and other technical evidence found so far in the case, did not indicate his presence or his connection to the incident,” the DCP added.
This was after the Opposition BJP went to town saying that Mahmood Ali’s grandson was involved in the crime and should be arrested immediately. The grandson, Farzan Ahmed, meanwhile told a TV channel that he was at home in the Minister’s Quarters on the night of May 28 and had absolutely no connection to the party or the crime.