Astha Kunj gangrape Delhi Police to file chargesheet with statements of 60 witnesses forensic evidence

New Delhi, Nov 6 (PTI) Delhi Police may file a more-than-500-page chargesheet within a week in the gangrape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji, with investigators relying on time-stamped CCTV footage, forensic evidence, witness statements and a test identification parade to build a strong case against the three accused, officials said.

    The chargesheet, which has around 75 pages of operative part, will include statements of nearly 60 witnesses, including the survivor and her male friend, and around 50 documents, including the forensic examination report, a senior police officer said.

    The case is being closely monitored by senior officials at the Delhi Police headquarters, and a special public prosecutor has been appointed to ensure effective prosecution, the officer said.

    The chargesheet will include time-stamped CCTV footage and grabs showing the three accused reaching the park, one of them travelling on his motorcycle, and their subsequent movements, including their return to their respective residences, he said.

    The investigators have also collected scientific and forensic evidence, including samples lifted from the crime scene by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory. The clothes worn by the accused and the judicial Test Identification Parade proceedings have also been included as part of the evidence.

    The mobile phones of the accused have been sent for forensic examination.

    Investigators found that the accused had deleted their chat histories, and efforts are underway to retrieve relevant digital evidence, the officer said.

    "The focus is on ensuring that the chargesheet is comprehensive and that every piece of evidence is properly documented so that a strong case can be established against the accused. We will also ensure that the trial proceeds effectively for quicker conviction," the officer said.

    The accused have been booked under Sections 70(2) (gangrape), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, besides Sections 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and 17 (punishment for abetment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

    The incident took place on September 22 when the girl, accompanied by her 17-year-old male friend, had visited Kalkaji Temple on her birthday. The two later went to Aastha Kunj Park, where the three accused allegedly approached them, threatened them with knives and sexually assaulted the girl at different secluded spots.

    The survivor subsequently helped investigators identify the locations where the assault took place and assisted the forensic team in collecting evidence.

    The police had scanned footage from more than 300 CCTV cameras installed in and around the park and along the routes leading to and from the area to identify the accused.

    The three accused -- Asif, Hemant and Mahesh -- were arrested following the investigation. One of them was injured in retaliatory firing after he allegedly opened fire at a police team.

    All three are currently in judicial custody.

    The police are also in regular touch with the survivor and are taking steps to ensure her safety and security, the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)