Bengaluru gang-rape case: 5 arrested, including men who booked villa
What's the story
Bengaluru Police have arrested five people in connection with a gang-rape case at a villa party. The prime accused has been identified as 34-year-old Nikhil HD, who allegedly befriended the victim on Instagram, News18 reported. The victim, a 19-year-old psychology student from Tamil Nadu studying in Bengaluru, was invited to the villa on February 14 by Nikhil and another accused, Dixon Sandra (21).
Assault details
Victim sought medical help on February 17
The victim arrived at the villa with a friend and was introduced to Nikhil. She was allegedly forced to consume a drug-laced drink, leaving her semi-conscious, after which she was raped by two men. Initially scared, the victim sought medical help on February 17 and posted about the incident on Instagram on February 18. She informed her brother, who lives abroad, before filing a police complaint on February 21-22.
Arrests made
Accused include men who provided logistical support for crime
The police have arrested five people so far in the case. The accused include Anirudh, Shravan, and Mohit Jain, who allegedly provided logistical support for the crime. Anirudh is also accused of helping book the villa owned by a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, but listed for rent by another person.
Extortion allegations
Two accused filed counter-complaint
A day before the victim filed her complaint, two of the accused had filed a counter-complaint at Malleshwaram Police Station. They alleged that the victim and a male friend were trying to extort ₹10 lakh by threatening to release videos and make false rape allegations. One accused also claimed he received calls from people posing as crime branch members of a news channel, demanding money to resolve the issue.
Case supervision
Investigation underway
The Bengaluru Police Commissioner is personally supervising the case. All five accused's mobile phones have been seized and are being examined for WhatsApp chats, call records, and other digital evidence. Statements from at least seven witnesses, including the victim and other party attendees, have also been recorded as part of the ongoing investigation.