Rape ‘ victim’ claims cop threatening her

Ahmedabad police commissioner A. K. Singh said he had full faith in the investigating team

Ahmedabad, July 1: A 22year- old woman, who had alleged gangrape in a moving SUV here in March, on Sunday accused a senior police officer of “threatening” her to alter the FIR.

Talking to local news channels, the woman alleged that joint commissioner of police J. K. Bhatt had threatened and pressurised her to convert the FIR lodged by her into a cheating case.

However, Ahmedabad police commissioner A. K. Singh said he had full faith in the investigating team.

Mr Singh said the police are only trying to resolve the “material contradictions” that have emerged during the investigation of the case.

“I am being repeatedly summoned by the police. I am also being threatened and pressurised by ( JCP) J. K. Bhatt to change the FIR.

“He accused me of lying and asked me to change the FIR to a cheating case. He behaves with me as if I am the criminal,” the victim claimed.

She alleged that the officer posed vulgar questions to her.

“He ( Bhatt) said that ( the main) accused ( Vrishabh) cannot do such an act. He is trying to defend the accused,” she alleged and demanded that her statement be recorded before a magistrate.

Addressing a press conference, the police commissioner said the police has summoned and interrogated two of the three accused in the case and also recorded the statement of the victim.

“As the police commissioner, I have full faith in the investigating team. The track record of the investigating team is exemplary. We have taken the ( gang rape) complaint made by the victim very seriously. I will probe into it and take corrective action,” he told reporters.

Mr Bhatt was seated beside Mr Singh at the press conference, but didn’t speak.