The minor son of an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA, named as an accused in the alleged gang-rape of a teenage girl in Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills last week, has been arrested, the Hyderabad Police said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
On June 4, the BJP legislator at a press conference claimed that the youngster seen in the purported video was the son of an AIMIM MLA. Alleging that AIMIM MLA's son was involved in the gang rape, he had said they have more evidence to prove the connection of the MLA's son.
Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has sought a detailed report within two days from the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police regarding the case.
A total of six accused have been booked so far including five minors, and one adult. All of them belonged to politically-connected families. The car in which the attack took place has been seized.
The sixth person has been accused of outraging the modesty of the girl, voluntarily causing hurt and also sexual assault.
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Six accused have been arrested in this case, out of them, one is a major. "All 5 juveniles along with 1 major have been arrested. Saduddin Malik is the only major. Of the accused, 4 have already been produced before Juvenile Home, the remaining 2 will be produced today," Hyderabad Police Commissioner C V Anand told reporters on Tuesday night.
The fifth minor who was arrested on Tuesday was not present when the gang rape of the girl took place. He got down from the car much before the heinous incident took place,” Police commissioner C V Anand said at the briefing.
No rape case was filed against the fifth juvenile. However, after going through the CCTV footage and the videos circulated on social media, a case under Section 354 and Section 323 of the IPC, besides under the POCSO Act, was filed against him, Anand said.
The first five have been accused under sections of gang rape, abduction, and voluntarily causing hurt as also sections of the POCSO Act, meaning they could get the death penalty, 20 years in jail or a lifetime in jail.
"We have booked them under the stringent sections, so they get the maximum punishment for this heinous crime," Hyderabad police commissioner CV Anand said.
Last week, BJP MLA Raghunandan Rao released a video clip and photographs of the teen and her assailants, alleging the presence of the MLA's son in a car with her. The police, he alleged, were engaged in a cover-up.
Initially, the police maintained that the legislator's son was not involved in the gang rape as he had left the group at a local pastry shop as per NDTV reports.
The harassment of the girl began around 3 pm inside the pub itself. Subsequently, they trapped her outside the pub at around 5:40 pm after her friend left. One of the boys had offered her a ride and the "girl was trapped by the CCLs (children in conflict with law)," Mr Anand said.
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One of the minors caught by the police is the son of a local leader of the state's ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Another minor is the son of a TRS leader from Sanga Reddy as per the reports.
The punishment under the sections could be imprisonment for life till death or even the death penalty. The case would be tried in a special court. Amid allegations of involvement of children of influential persons, Anand said the gang rape happened in a Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV). It seems to be an official vehicle, he said.
(with inputs from PTI)
