Rewari gangrape:1 of 3 main accused arrested

NEW DELHI: One of the three main accused in the gang-rape of a 19-year-old college student, who is also a former CBSE topper in Haryana, has been arrested.

The Special Investigation Team or SIT which is probing the case said the accused Nishu was arrested on Sunday evening. Officials said he was involved in pre-planning of the rape and had called a doctor to the crime scene.

SIT chief Nazneen Bhasin said raids were being conducted to arrest the other two main accused - Pankaj and Manish.

Two people - a registered medical practitioner, who first attended to the woman, and a villager on whose property she was found - were earlier on Sunday arrested in connection with the crime.

“The doctor was there until the rape ended and didn’t inform any authority... he didn’t take correct legal action. Evidence also points out that he was involved in the actual act as well. Further forensics will clear the matter,” Bhasin said.

Earlier on Sunday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar reviewed with DGP B S Sandhu the progress in the investigation into the gang rape of a young woman from Rewari and shunted out the district police chief, as raids continued at several places to catch the three accused, including an Army man.

An official in the loop said that Khattar summoned the Director General of Police (DGP) to his office to review the progress in the investigation. The chief minister directed Sandhu to ensure the arrest of all the accused at the earliest, the official said.

Rewari SP Rajesh Duggal, who has been accused of failing to take prompt action, has been shunted out and will be replaced by the SP of chief minister’s security, Rahul Sharma, they said. Duggal will now lead a battalion of Haryana Armed Police in Hisar.

As per the FIR registered by the complainant three main accused have been identified. These are Manish, Nishu, and Pankaj Fauji.

Meanwhile, making headway in the case, the law enforcement officials have apprehended Deen Dayal, the owner of the house who had rented his home to the three where they allegedly raped the 19-year-old on September 12. They have also questioned the doctor who treated the rape survivor.