CBSE topper gangrape case: Of the three accused, one is a serving army personnel

As reported earlier, a 19-year-old college student who was felicitated by the President after she topped the CBSE board exam was allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped by a group of men in Mahendergarh distric of Haryana district. The rape victim was kidnapped and gang-raped when she was returning from her coaching class.

The police said on Friday that a SIT (Special Investigation Team) was set up to probe the case of gang-rape of the 19-year-old girl. Raids were conducted to nab the culprits. Of the three accused, one is a army man from Rajasthan Unit. A police team has been sent to arrest him, Haryana DGP B S Sandhu said on Saturday.

“Pankaj Fauzi is one of the accused who is working in an Army unit in Rajasthan. A police team has gone to Rajasthan to arrest him. I am sure that he will be arrested today,” Haryana police chief BS Sandhu said, adding that all the three men were known to the victim.

Commenting on the matter on Saturday, The Indian Army said that it will facilitate the arrest of the army personnel, one of the three accused in the alleged gangrape of the 19-year-old woman in Rewari, adding that the force does not shelter criminals.

The rape victim was felicitated by the President after she topped the CBSE board exam, was returning from a coaching centre in Kanina in Mahendragarh district of Haryana when the incident took place. The trio allegedly abducted her from a bus stop and gangraped in Haryana’s Mahendargarh district on Wednesday.

“Out of the three accused, one is an Army man and a police team has gone to Rajasthan to arrest him. I am sure that he will be arrested today,” he said. The police is on the lookout for the other two, expressing confidence Police said, they will be arrested soon.

Lt Gen Cherish Mathson, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC) South Western Command, which is headquartered in Jaipur, said, “If an army personnel is involved in the crime we will facilitate that the person is caught and booked for rape. We do not shelter criminals.”

On Saturday, the Haryana police release pictures and names of the three accused. Along with Pankaj, the other two accused have been identified as Nishu and Manish.

Main accused is a serving defence personnel stationed in Rajasthan. We are getting a warrant against him. The other two accused will be nabbed soon: Haryana DGP BS Sandhu on Rewari gangrape case (File pic) pic.twitter.com/nx8XDua0vq

— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2018

According to the Police, all the three accused were known to the victim.  As per the victim’s complaint, she was allegedly kidnapped by the accused who came in a car and took her to a deserted place. Where she was raped and offered a drink laced with sedatives. After raping her, they left her near a bus stop in Kanina later in the day. They also threatened to kill her if she reported the crime to the Police.

“On Friday, Nishu visited the woman’s house and threatened her father with dire consequences if he pursued a case. It is shocking that police have not been able to arrest the accused even as they are roaming about freely, threatening the family,” said a neighbour to TOI

The rape victim’s mother accused Police of making an fail attempt to nab the rapists. She said on Friday that her daughter was in a state of shock after the incident, while the accused were ‘roaming freely’ after the incident.

Also read: Haryana: 19-year-old topper alleges gang rape after being kidnapped