The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a charge sheet in the case of gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras. Reportedly, the victim was allegedly gang-raped by four men after she rebuffed one of them, Sandeep. This change in their relationship has aggravated the accused, i.e., Sandeep’s feelings, and frustrated him, reported the CBI in its charge sheet.
The said charge sheet by CBI invokes charges under Sections 376 (rape), 376 (D) (gangrape), 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the SC/ST Act against the four accused in a court in Hathras.
CBI charge sheet
The charge sheet mentioned the scathing indictment of the Uttar Pradesh Police, wherein despite the victim named three people while her statement was recorded on 19th September, only one name was mentioned in the statement. Further, it also states that “though the victim alleged molestation, her medical examination regarding sexual assault was not conducted”.
According to the charge sheet, the victim and Sandeep lived nearby, and “he developed acquaintance with the victim two/three years back which gradually turned into love affair”. It also came on record that they “used to meet in isolated places”, and that “these facts are supported by many villagers”, stated the charge sheet.
It further states that Sandeep had three phone numbers and several calls were made from those to a phone number belonging to the victim’s family. “However, all family members affirmed during their examination that they neither called nor spoke to Sandeep over the phone. The investigation further revealed that when a family member of the victim came to know about the mobile calls exchanged between the victim and Sandeep, they had a wordy quarrel with Sandeep’s family in front of his house. This incident was witnessed by several villagers. Subsequently, the victim’s father also made an oral complaint to (the pradhan’s son) about the phone calls made by the accused to the victim, as confirmed by witnesses,” read the charge sheet.
However, as per sources, the victim’s brother mentioned that “There was absolutely no acquaintance between my sister and the accused, Sandeep. He had obtained our number from somewhere and would make prank calls, pretending to be someone else. A couple of missed calls as well. Besides that, no calls had been exchanged. The entire village is against us and I believe they would say anything to falsify the crime that took place.”
Further, the charge sheet mentions that the relationship between the victim and accused soured when the victim’s family got to know about them and the accused tried to contact the victim from other numbers. “Because of her changed behavior, he was in frustration. This change in their relationship aggravated the feelings of the accused,” read the charge sheet.
“During her examination on September 22, the victim categorically stated that she was gang-raped by the four accused persons; she also named them in her dying declaration. It establishes that on September 14, the victim was gang-raped at the bajra field when she was alone. The investigation also revealed that all four accused were present in the village or nearby place, which corroborates the allegation of the victim” – CBI Charge sheet.
The woman was assaulted allegedly by the four on September 14 and died a fortnight later at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. The ‘dead-of-night’ creation of the victim on September 30 led to widespread protest across the country.
The four accused have been in judicial custody since their arrest in September
