DNA REPORT SHOWS YOUNGER UNCLE FATHERED 10YROLD’S BABY

The child born to a 10-year-old Chandigarh rape victim was fathered by her younger maternal uncle and not his elder brother as initially suspected, police said on Tuesday, basing it on a fresh DNA report.

Though the elder uncle too allegedly raped the girl and was arrested, police investigations hit a wall three weeks ago when his DNA samples did not match with those of the newborn.

On September 11, HT had exclusively reported the DNA report of the elder uncle was negative and the ‘paternity of the accused was excluded’ from the case. Later, the police arrested his younger brother following a statement from the girl accusing him of rape, and sought the court’s permission to re-match the DNA samples.

Police produced the fresh report, prepared by the central forensic science laboratory (CFSL) laboratory, Mohali, in the court of additional district and sessions judge, Poonam R Joshi. The report surmised that the younger uncle was the father of the newborn. The blood samples of the two brothers had been sent for DNA tests along with samples of a few other neighbours. Police sources said had others also raped the girl, they would have been arrested by now.

A senior police officer said, “While the main accused (elder uncle) had also raped the victim, it is clear that the father of the baby is the younger uncle.”

Investigating officer Gurjeet Kaur, said a supplementary challan will be submitted before the court by Tuesday evening.

The SChad asked the laboratory to expedite the process of matching the DNA samples.

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