Though the Delhi Police have got a statement of a Ugandan woman recorded before a Metropolitan Magistrate under a procedure in which statement is admissible as evidence, they are yet to mention the names of any of the accused.
The probe in the case - initially registered at the Malviya Nagar police station on January 19 against unknown persons - has been transferred to the neighbouring Mehrauli police station. This, a day before the Malviya Nagar Station House Officer Vijay Pal Singh was sent on leave following the Delhi Government’s sit-in demanding action against him. Police sources said the move was meant to ensure an “impartial probe”.
According to the police, till Wednesday not a single accused had been identified and no video evidence had come up against Mr. Bharti either.
For its part, the Delhi Commission for Women said it would send fresh summons to Mr. Bharti who did not appear before the Commission when summoned earlier. “We will be sending another summon through the concerned SHO to him. If he still does not appear, we shall write to the L-G and to the Delhi Police commissioner to register an FIR,” said DCW chairperson Barkha Singh.
The FIR still remains to be against “unknown persons”, but a police officer on condition of anonymity told The Hindu on Wednesday that the woman witness has specifically named Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti as one of the persons who allegedly misbehaved with her and instigated others to follow suit on the fateful night when a group allegedly forced its way into the premises housing women of African nationalities a week ago.
Mr. Bharti had a public face-off with the Delhi Police for their refusal to raid the Khirki Extension home in South Delhi where the victim was purportedly present and the days that followed saw an agitation by the Aam Aadmi Party demanding action against the policemen.
The police have ruled out any arrest in the matter till it specifically finds prima facie evidence of the charges levelled by the woman.
