Shimla rape case: Victim takes U-turn, withdraws charges before magistrate
A 19-year-old girl, who had filed a complaint that she was allegedly abducted and raped in Shimla, has recently withdrawn her statement in front of a judicial magistrate, an official who wished to remain anonymous, said. Despite her latest statement, a Special Investigation Team would continue investigating the case. She had filed the complaint against the unidentified assailant on April 28.
The girl retracted the charges while she was recording the statement under Section 164 (5A) (a) of CrPC in front of the magistrate. Earlier, in the complaint filed at Dhalli Police Station, she alleged that she was abducted near the Dhalli tunnel at around 10PM, and raped by three in a moving car on the 1.5km stretch leading to Bhattakufer.
Following the complaint, an FIR was filed under IPC Sections 354A (sexual harassment), 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 366 (kidnapping). Moreover, Himachal Pradesh's CM Jai Ram Thakur had directed speedy investigation. However, upon investigation, the district police said that the CCTV footage of the entire 1.5km stretch was analyzed, and it was found that the 'victim' wasn't abducted.
The CCTV footage only showed the 'victim' walking on the road with no signs of abduction. After her U-turn, Omapati Jamwal, Shimla Superintendent of Police, told reporters that the 8-member SIT headed by Parveer Thakur, Additional Superintendent of Police, would still continue the required probe. Further adding to his statement, Jamwal said, "We will take the case to the logical conclusion."
Meanwhile, the Opposition party (Congress), has targeted the BJP-led government in the state saying that they are trying to hide the matter. Narendra Kanwar, Congress' state spokesperson, has demanded that the probe should take place under a sitting High Court judge's watch.
