Hyderabad gang rape: Congress says police hiding vital information

Hyderabad: Telangana’s opposition Congress on Wednesday alleged that Hyderabad police are hiding vital information in the Jubilee Hills gang rape case.

State Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy wondered why the police have not revealed names of the owners of the Innova and Mercedes cars used by the accused, asking Hyderabad Police Commissioner C. V. Anand as to why he was trying to shield the owners of the two vehicles.

Describing the two vehicles as key evidence in the case, he wondered why the police did not call their owners though it has been established that minors were driving the vehicles.

Reddy pointed out that as per Section 133 of the Motor Vehicle Act, when minors found driving the vehicles, notices have to be issued to the owners, they have to be summoned to the police station and cases have to be filed.

He pointed out that the Police Commissioner told the media persons that after the Mercedes reached the bakery, the accused with the victim left in the Innova.

The Congress leader said the Police Commissioner revealed before the media the sequence of events that happened from May 20 till the incident happened on May 28, but nothing as to what happened after it, where the vehicles were taken, and what was the action taken against the owners.

Reddy said there are allegations against the families of the Wakf Board Chairman who is appointed by the Chief Minister and the MLA of MIM whose leader Asaduddin Owaisi reacts to every small incident that happens at national or international level.

Claiming that the TRS and the MIM together are running the government, he said: “They are partners in alliance, elections and government and finally they have become partners in rapes and murders.”

Reddy said the owners of the cars should also be booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

He said when the police admitted that the Innova vehicle is a government vehicle and the gang rape happened in this vehicle, why it was not revealing who is its owner. “When the government vehicle was used for anti-social activities, why are the police hiding the information about the vehicle,” he asked.

He said the police should come out with details like where the Innova was kept for seven days after the gang rape. He alleged that the government sticker was removed from the vehicle and the evidence was tampered with. He said police did not even reveal where the Innova was seized.

Meanwhile, women leaders of Congress party staged a silent protest at party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan against the increasing incidents of rapes.

Later, a delegation of party leaders ,led by the Mahila Congress acting President Netta D’Souza met Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy, and sought strict action against the accused irrespective of their influential background.

The delegation demanded that there should be fair investigation in the case and the police should not come under pressure from any quarters.