Chargesheet filed against four in US woman’s rape in 5-star hotel

NEWDELHI:Delhi police have filed a chargesheet in Patiala House Court against four accused persons in the gang rape of an American woman in a five-star hotel near New Delhi’s Connaught Place in April.

Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) BK Singh said the chargesheet has been filed against tourist guide Aniruddha Singh, hotel staffer Vivek, driver Om Prakash and cleaner Maqsood Khan.

The police have chargesheeted them under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt, 328( causing hurt by means of poison, with intent to commit an offence, 376D (Gang Rape), 377(unnatural offences), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation if threat be to cause death or grevious hurt) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

The court after receiving the chargesheet fixed February 27 for the scrutiny of the documents. On the next date of hearing, it will decide whether to take cognizance of the chargesheet. All the four accused, in judicial custody, will be produced on the next date of hearing.

Though the crime was reported in October, an FIR was registered only on December 3. After the woman came to Delhi and recorded her statement under Section 164 of the CrPc, the four men were called in for questioning and arrested.

The woman had alleged the guide, who befriended her while showing her tourist spots, entered her room in a five-star hotel with his friends to discuss the following day’s itinerary. They allegedly offered the woman water mixed with sedatives and raped her.

She accused them of raping her the next day also and threatening her with dire consequences if the matter was reported. The suspects allegedly made a video, which they threatened to make public.