Two weeks after the alleged rape and sexual assault of a 11-year-old girl in Chennai, police are confident that they have a water tight case against the 17 accused in the case. Top sources in the department have told TNM that the chargesheet in the case will be filed in the next 20 days and that the culprits will be charged with different sections.
The police state that they have covered all bases as far as this crime is concerned by swiftly identifying and apprehending the culprits. Chennai Police Commissioner AK Vishwanathan himself is directly overseeing the case. The directive to investigating official inspector Vijaya Chandrika from the All Women's station in Ayanavaram has been to conduct the probe in a speedy manner. The chargesheet, which is expected in two weeks will contain evidences gathered from the scene of crime, medical reports as well as forensic analysis.
"As far the police is concerned, the investigation is proceeding in a satisfactory manner. Medical examination of the child has been conducted and we also have forensic experts on board. The chargesheet will be filed in 15-20 days," says a top cop. In order to prevent any change in statements, all confessions (including parents) have been registered under Section 164 of CrPC in the presence of a magistrate. "We have taken the measures to ensure that there is enough proof against 17 people," he adds.
According to a complaint by the parents, the girl was being raped and sexually assaulted for over six months and was too traumatised to tell her parents. The accused in the case include the security guards, plumbers, water delivery men and gardeners of a gated community in Ayanavaram where the family resides. She was allegedly raped when coming back from school or when she went down to play in the evenings. It was only last month, when the survivor's sister came home for a holiday, that the child confided in her.
The police have denied the existence of any videos of the sexual crimes committed against the child. Another officer involved in the investigation confirmed to TNM that the main accused, Ravi (60) was a lab assistant prior to his stint at the gated community in Ayanavaram. It has been alleged by the family that he was responsible for administering sedatives to the child before raping her. The police say this element is still under investigation.
"One of them started sexually assaulting the child and got away with it, so the others were emboldened," revealed the police. "A few of them raped the child, the others molested her. Different sections will apply. There are no prior cases against any of them," he adds.
Are police probing the two firms - FOCUS and UKFS where the suspects were employed?
"The companies have been questioned about their role in this. But we have found that there is no criminal intention. We have to investigate further into whether a proper background check was done, "says the senior official.
The Child Welfare Commission had also pointed out the possibility of other children having suffered a similar fate in the gated community.
"We have also been examining other parents and collecting evidence in the gated community. Some of them have been very cooperative and the probe is underway," says the official.
But while the police have been on the offensive in this particular case, the parents have been forced into the defensive, says the official.
"Several allegations that they are not biological parents or that they did not pay enough attention to the child are doing the rounds," says the official. "But there is only so much that can be done in a gated community and these allegations in no way mitigate the severity of the crime. Our blood should boil when we even hear of this rape," he adds.