Dhaula Kuan rape case: Accused says police tampered with evidence

New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) A Delhi court on Monday deferred its verdict in the 2010 Dhaula Kuan abduction and gang rape case after one of the accused alleged that police tampered with the evidence to implicate him.

Defence counsel Amit Shrivastava, appearing for accused Usman alias Kale, filed a written argument alleging that Delhi Police tampered with the case properties.

Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat asked the prosecution to file a reply on the accused’s application by Sep 24 and deferred the order in the case.

“There has been tampering in the case properties by police personnel and now there is no acknowledgement of the sample seal from the forensic science laboratory (FSL)…,” the defence counsel said.

The counsel alleged that even the blood of the victim was planted on the pants of the accused by police.

Public prosecutor Satwinder Kaur opposed the accused’s submission and said there was no possibility of tampering with the evidence as the specimen was sent to the FSL just a day after the incident and the accused was arrested a week later.

Accused Shamshad alias Khutkan, Usman alias Kale, Shahid alias Chhota Billi, Iqbal alias Bada Billi and Kamruddin are being tried for the kidnapping and gang rape of a 30-year-old call centre executive in Dhaula Kuan area of south Delhi.

According to police, the five men abducted the victim, who hailed from the northeast Nov 24, 2010, while she was walking home with a friend after her shift ended.

The abductors took her to Mangolpuri, gang-raped her, and left her on an isolated road there.

The five were later arrested from Mewat in Haryana. They have claimed innocence, saying they were falsely implicated in the case.

They are being tried on charges of gang rape, criminal intimidation and abduction.

After the incident, Delhi Police issued an order to all BPOs in Delhi and the National Capital Region to drop women employees home safely while providing them security.