NEW DELHI: Residents of Sriniwaspuri Extension, where brothers Hemant Singh and Mukesh Singh- accused of raping a minor-lived, said they kept their distance from the two.
Hemant and Mukesh, along with Asif, were arrested Tuesday for the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in south Delhi’s Aastha Kunj Park. The third accused, Asif, had been working for more than 10 years in Okhla Sabzi Mandi along with his uncle.
Investigators said the two brothers were familiar with the park’s layout and its dark spots as they used to play cricket there. This is where they met Asif three months ago, police said. Hemant’s father, advocate J R Dhankar, told police that Mukesh is a BSc student and Hemant is a lawyer, a claim that cops are verifying. They were at home all day and were not outside when the incident occurred,” he said. Asif is married and has a teenage daughter, according to police. The two brothers were then nabbed based on his description, said police.
Dhankar has accused police of framing his sons. “Police picked them up from their home in Sriniwaspuri early in the morning without informing us. Their statements were taken forcibly… People who knew Asif remained tight-lipped, only saying he was polite in their interactions. Based on the survivor’s statement, Asif was identified and tracked down Tuesday. He was arrested following a brief exchange of fire, in which he sustained bullet injuries in his leg.
(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)