New Delhi: The revelations by the friend of the Delhi braveheart have sparked a fresh debate concerning the brutal gangrape and murder case of the 23-year-old paramedical student. Not only has the revelations raised questions on police action, it has also brought to light the apathy of the residents of the national capital. However, the Delhi Police have tried to come clean, denying the allegation that they took more than 45 minutes to reach the spot where the couple were thrown off the bus.
A key witness in the case, the friend of the braveheart, had alleged that three police vans had arrived after 45 minutes and wasted crucial time in deciding which police station would have the jurisdiction in the case. Refuting the allegations, the Delhi Police pointed that the PCR vans are not concerned with jurisdiction of police stations and function under the control room.
Addressing a press conference, Joint Commissioner of Police, Vivek Gogia, asserted that there was no delay in providing the necessary aid to the braveheart and her friend on the fateful night. He claimed that the police did everything possible and were not looking for a pat on the back, adding that they have proof to corroborate prompt action on their part.
Mentioning the timing of the police action on the fateful night, he said that the PCR van reached at 10:27 pm while another reached at 10:29 pm. According to the police, the PCR vans left at 10:39 pm, and this was after organising bed sheets to cover the victims. Following this, a PCR van dropped the victims at the Safdarjung Hospital at 10:55 pm.
The claims by the Delhi Police have come after the friend of the braveheart, who was assaulted by the culprits on December 16 and is also a key witness in the case, criticised the police and the public for their indifference in an exclusive interview to Zee News.
He further claimed that no passerby came forward to help him and the braveheart after they were thrown out of the bus, saying no one stopped for about 25 minutes.
Following the interview of the braveheart's friend, the police summoned Zee News editors for questioning at a south Delhi Police station. Before summoning them, the Delhi Police registered an FIR against the Zee editors under section 228-A on Friday night for revealing the identity of a key witness.
The allegations by the braveheart's friends and the counter claims by the Delhi Police also evoked some sharp reactions from the political fraternity. While the Congress gave a guarded response saying the law was taking its course, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the police, saying they would oppose the move to target the media.
Senior Congress leader Renuka Chaudhary said, "The law is doing its work, and the investigations are on in the case...but people must also be aware, he talked about their apathy as well...the system needs to change."
BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "It needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The Delhi Police is trying to hide its weakness by controlling media. Nation will not tolerate this. The BJP will oppose this."
The Left also hit out at the police, with CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat saying, "In this particular case, the boy who is also a victim is revealing the terrible traumatic experience that he has gone through. Nobody can stop him from doing that. And the use of 228-A in this case by the Delhi Police and the government seems be to protect them rather than the victim."
And amidst the allegations and the furore over it, there were some legal developments in the case as well with a Delhi court on Saturday taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police on Thursday. The court further summoned the five accused named in the chargesheet on Monday, January 7. The case of the minor accused will also be heard on Monday before a Juvenile Justice Board.
Throughout the hearing, the victim will be referred to as xyz. The death summary report by Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital is among the evidence being listed by the police. The Singapore hospital has listed Septicemia due to multi-organ failure as the cause of death. Tests showed that the blood sample of the victim matched the blood stains on the accused. A case of gangrape and murder was registered by the Delhi Police after taking the statements of forensic experts and doctors at the Mount Elizabeth and other witnesses.
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