Ahmedabad Gangrape: Survivor Accuses JCP of Intimidation

The Ahmedabad gangrape sent local media into a tizzy, with three prime accused having surrendered but not arrested.

Five years after the Nirbhaya gangrape case, sexual violence victims in India still have a dismal chance at getting justice.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

On 27 June, a 22-year-old girl lodged a complaint at Ahmedabad’s Isanpur police station alleging that she was abducted, sedated and raped in a moving SUV by four masked men in March this year. The matter has now taken centre stage after the survivor accused a senior IPS officer of forcing her to change her statement from rape to cheating during interrogation.

She also claims that a wooden object was inserted into her private parts and the whole act was filmed. She was allegedly abducted and molested last week on 27 June, after which she finally broke her silence and approached the police. Satellite police station registered an FIR and a case of rape and illegal confinement, as the rape happened under their jurisdiction.

The police booked seven persons, including two girls and the boyfriend of the survivor, in connection with the case. The survivor has accused her boyfriend and his associate of raping her and claimed that her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend threatened her not to tell anyone about the incident.

The girl’s family approached the high court demanding a CBI probe. Meanwhile, the officer in question, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) JK Bhatt, recused himself from the case.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been assigned to carry on the probe after the Commissioner of Police of Ahmedabad, A K Singh, convinced the girl’s father to keep faith in the police department.

The Case so Far

The FIR states that the survivor was standing on the service road near Jhansi ki Rani’s statue between Nehru Nagar Circle and Shivranjani Crossroads at 8.30 pm in March when a black SUV approached her with four assailants wearing monkey caps, covering their faces. However, the survivor claims she doesn’t remember the exact date of the incident.

The rape survivor claims that she was picked up from the service road near Jhansi ki Rani Statue(Photo Courtesy: Ahmedabadsale.com)

The survivor’s complaint states that two assailants undressed her and raped her inside the car and also violated her with a wooden object. Two assailants were talking to each other in Hindi, while the others recorded the whole act. Amidst the assailants’ conversation she says she heard the name Vrushabh.

The attackers struck her on the head with a heavy object, rendering her unconscious. They then took her purse, some photographs and her mobile phone, before returning her to the same spot where they picked her up, and where she regained her senses later. The men told her not to reveal the incident to anyone, threatening to spread the video the recorded.

Cycle of Trauma Continues

The victim allegedly started getting messages on Instagram from Vrushabh who demanded sexual favours from her along with cash against releasing the video on the internet; On one occasion he directed the girl to leave Rs 3,700 and a gold ring near Jaldhara Water World.

A few days later four persons including two girls caught hold of the survivor near Satyam Towers in Maninagar area of the city. The two men held her hands while the women threatened her not to disclose the matter to anyone else if she wanted her boyfriend Gaurav Dalmiya and her sister to survive.

Last week on Wednesday, 27 June, the survivor was again kidnapped by three masked men, who sprayed some substance on her and which caused her dizziness. The men again molested her and asked her why she told her boyfriend Gaurav about the whole incident when he was the one who orchestrated the whole act.

They again dropped her back to the same area where she was picked up from. This time the survivor called Abhyam Helpline 181 and lodged a complaint at Isanpur Police Station.

Although the SIT has taken over the case, the survivor was not produced before a magistrate to record her statement under Section 164 of CrPC, which stipulates that the statement needs to be recorded within 24 hours. Her statement was finally recorded on Tuesday, 3 July.

Accused are School Friends

The survivor’s statement mentions the name of one Yamini Nair, who had allegedly threatened her behind Satyam Towers in Maninagar area. The survivor claims that although she didn’t see her face, she could make out that it was her based on her voice and physique.

According to the survivor’s statement, Yamini Nair, happens to be the ex-girlfriend of her boyfriend, Gaurav Dalmiya. The survivor claims that Gaurav had disclosed about his and Yamini’s past relationship. In fact, Yamini and Gaurav are school friends of Vrushabh Maru, whose name the survivor had heard in the SUV the day she was raped.

The police brought the rape survivor and Yamini Nair face-to-face during interrogation. As it turned out, both women had never met each other. Yamini maintains her innocence in the matter and has not been placed under arrest.

Gaurav, Vrushabh Surrender

Gaurav Dalmiya is the survivor’s boyfriend and one of the prime accused in the case(Photo: Rahul Nair/The Quint)

Gaurav Dalmiya, surrendered before the crime branch late on Saturday, 30 June. However, he was detained and not arrested. He was later let go on the following morning, and the cops have not yet arrested him.

Gaurav has categorically denied his involvement in the case. Police sources in the know told The Quint that Gaurav stated that he was in Udaipur when he received a letter on the night before the survivor lodged the FIR. The letter stated that she was raped and was subjected to threat calls.

The survivor heard Vrushabh Maru’s name in the SUV on the day she was raped. The survivor as also alleged that Vrushabh was demanding money and sexual favours from her(Photo: Rahul Nair/The Quint)

Meanwhile, Vrushabh, who works in Madhya Pradesh, also surrendered before the police on Tuesday, 3 July. He told the police that he had visited Ahmedabad on 26 June and left a day later, when the survivor was allegedly molested again. He too has denied charges of rape and kidnapping.

Survivor Accuses JCP of Intimidation

On Sunday, 1 July, the survivor accused Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), J K Bhatt, claiming that he was siding with the accused, while addressing the local media. She went on to accuse Bhatt of forcing her to change her charges from rape to cheating.

He says that inserting a wooden object in the private part does not make it rape. He went on to accuse me, saying that I was acting out of jealousy and vendetta as I had broken up with one of the accused.

Survivor’s statement

On the same day, Commissioner of Police Ahmedabad, A K Singh called a press conference and claimed that, there are several contradictions in the FIR and the material evidence collected by the police. Addressing the survivor’s allegations he said that he will ensure that the department wins her trust again.

SIT Formed to Probe Case

The Ahmedabad Police Commissioner’s office issued a statement earlier this week saying that Bhatt has recused himself from the case and that his request had been accepted.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shweta Shrimali has been asked to join the probe; Other members of the team include DCP (Crime) Deepan Bhadran and Additional DCP of Women police, Panna Momaya. Bothe were assisting Bhatt in the probe.

The Quint spoke to DCP (Crime) Deepan Bhadran, who categorically refused to comment on why the accused have not been arrested even though they have surrendered.

The trio have opted for a Narco-analysis test and we requested the magisterial court to grant permission for the same which has been accepted.

Deepan Bhadran, DCP Crime

Meanwhile, the survivor’s father withdrew his petition seeking a CBI probe from the Gujarat High Court after the police authorities addressed his concerns. Justice R P Dholaria allowed the petition to be withdrawn, with a liberty to revive the demand of a CBI probe later, if needed.

(With inputs from PTI)