CBI files challan in 2016 Mewat gangrape-robbery

PANCHKULA :The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed its challan in the Mewat gangrape and robbery case of August 2016. In the bone-chilling brutality perpetrated in the district's Dingerheri village, a 40-year-old farmer and his wife were beaten to death and their two nieces were gang-raped on the night of August 24. One of those raped was a minor.

Sources said that investigating agency had found clinching evidence against four gang members, accused of the crime, including the recovery of weapons and the matching of their DNA with the semen found on the clothes of the victim. The Delhi Police had arrested the four accused — Dharmu, Muna, Lambu and Jaibhagwan — in September, but in connection with another gangrape.

During investigation, these accused confessed to have committed the Dingerheri crime too. After taking them on production warrant, the CBI had sent their DNA samples for examination. These samples have now matched with the specimens collected from the private parts of the victims.

HARYANA POLICE

HAD NABBED DIFFERENT ACCUSED Soon after the crime, a special investigation team (SIT) of the Haryana Police had also arrested four accused — Rahul, Karamjeet, Amarjeet and Sandeep — from the area near the village. Sources said the CBI has claimed in its charge-sheet that it has not found any major evidence against them. The four were identified in a parade . The CBI added that the DNA report of these accused did not match with the semen on the victims’ cloths.

However, the agency told the court that it was yet to conclude its probe. If these four accused are let-off during proceedings, a real possibility at this stage, it will be major embarrassment for the Haryana police.

Notably, the arrest of the four had led to protests in the area as their kin had claimed innocence. The local police had filed a challan against them in a Mewat court on November 21, 2016. The case was given to the CBI as on December 19, 2016.

Pardeep Rapria, the counsel of the accused that Haryana police have arrested. said, “The CBI chargesheet filed on Monday has not found any major evidence against my clients. They will hopefully be released. Two of my clients are employed as office helpers at a warehouse, the other two are farm hands.”

THE AGENCY CLAIMS CLINCHING EVIDENCE AGAINST RECENTLY HELD ACCUSED; LITTLE PROOF FOUND AGAINST DIFFERENT MEN HRY POLICE HAVE PARADED AS THOSE INVOLVED