Police officer helps colleagues arrest his gang-rape accused son

An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) helped police arrest his son who was accused in a gangrape case in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur district.

The gangrape allegedly occurred on August 31 when two sisters accompanied by a male friend on a bike were stopped by two men on the outskirts of Godhi village, as per The Indian Express.

The duo looted the victims’ cash and mobile phones and then called eight others to the spot, who arrived there on three bikes. The 10 men took the victims about 500 metres from the road and took turns raping the teenage sisters, including a minor, and also thrashed their male friend.

The suspects left the trio with a warning against reporting the matter to police. However, the male victim contacted a relative, who in turn alerted the police.

Prashant Agrawal, the Raipur district Senior Superintendent of Police, said, “At first, we received information only regarding a robbery. A patrol team was sent to the spot. The sisters were scared to talk about the rape initially. However, after assurances from two senior women officers, they filed a complaint around 1 a.m.”

Agrawal explained, “The accused were unknown to the victims and there were no CCTV cameras anywhere in the vicinity of the village where the incident happened. Usually, all of these are huge impediments to investigators. However, the male victim had memorised the licence plate of one of the motorcycles used by the accused.”

The police tracked down the motorcycle, which led to the accused. One of the accused’s father is a BJP functionary in the village.

A team of 54 personnel was formed to nab the accused persons.

The ASI, in his 50s, told The Indian Express over the telephone, “As soon as I heard about the gang-rape case (early on September 1), I went to the police station. Then, during interrogation, two accused named my son (in his 20s) and his friend. I felt extremely ashamed. Realising that it was not right for me to stay at the police station, I told a senior inspector that my son and his friend were sleeping at my house."

The ASI, feeling humiliated, requested his superior to transfer him to another police station. “The superintendent was sensitive to my situation,” he said.

The ASI said that his relation with his son wasn't good and that he hadn't talked to him for over a year.