New Delhi: Turns out that many of the newly identified suspects in the Delhi teen rape case involving senior government official Premoday Khakha, are still minors.
According to official sources, the 17-year-old victim who was reportedly sexually assaulted five years ago, made the disclosure during a counseling session.
“An investigation is underway. Most of the individuals she has named are in her age group and reside in her neighborhood. We initiated an FIR for sexual assault based on her complaint,” a senior police official informed
IANS.
The official added that they have also questioned the suspected individuals, the majority of whom are still minors. “We are conducting a thorough investigation into her allegations, and if necessary, we will apprehend the suspects,” the official said.
A Delhi court recently directed police to file a fresh case on the basis of the minor’s statement recorded under section 161 CrPC following which a fresh FIR was lodged.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey had said that during investigation, the complainant revealed that when she was living with her family in the area of New Usmanpur, during the period between 2018-2020, she had been sexually assaulted by some persons.
The minors girl was also allegedly raped between November 2020, and January 2021.
The victim, who was just 14 years old at the time, is said to have suffered the initial assault on October 31, 2020 allegedly by Khakha, after being drugged, as disclosed by sources familiar with the matter.
The victim, who is currently a student in Class 12, recently shared her ordeal with a counsellor at St. Stephen’s Hospital where she had been admitted due to an anxiety attack.
Subsequent to her disclosure, law enforcement acted on her complaint and initiated legal proceedings under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on August 13.
(Shekhar Singh can be reached at shekhar.s@ians.in)
–IANS
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