Madrasa ‘abduction’, rape: Main suspect will be tried as an adult
NEW DELHI: A city court on Wednesday granted Delhi Police the custody of main accused in the madrasa rape and abduction case after the Juvenile Justice Board ruled that bone ossification test had indicated that he was an adult.
The matter was heard a day after a report was submitted to the Juvenile Justice Board.
After taking note of the bone ossification test report submitted by the Delhi Police, the board said that the accused, who was initially suspected to be 17-yearold, will be tried as an adult, said an officer.
The bone ossification test was carried out since the family failed to submit documents that could help police ascertain if the accused was was a minor.
Last week, the police had also arrested cleric, Ghulam Shahid, for allegedly being aware of the presence of the girl on the premises of the madrasa.
The girl’s father on April 21 informed police that his daughter had gone missing from Ghazipur in east Delhi after she went to the market.
Subsequently, the girl was rescued from the madrasa on April 22 by a Delhi Police team and the accused was appre- hended, police said.
The victim had recorded her statement in front of a magistrate on April 23.
She stated that the accused had taken her to the madrasa to meet his friends.
However, in media interviews over the past couple of days, the girl has alleged that the accused took her to the madrasa by force and threatened to kill her family. She also accused the arrested cleric of threatening her.
A senior police officer connected to the investigation of the case, however, said that in the initial statement recorded before a magistrate under 164 CRPC just after rescue, the girl has named the main accused as the one who sexually assaulted her and had not mentioned the cleric at all.
“Now that she has made new allegations, we will try and place it on record before the court but so far in our investigations, these allegations had not been made,” said the officer.
Police said the main accused has been booked for rape, abduction and under POCSO. The cleric was arrested after several days of questioning and after the demand for his arrest became a rallying point for political parties. He is also charged under POCSO as he headed the madrasa where the crime took place.