Probing allegations of gangrape and sexual assault in opposition to former Chief Secretary, Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) Islands, Jitendra Narain, and Labour Commissioner R L Rishi by a 21-year-old girl, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the A&N Police has discovered proof and recorded key witness statements pointing to an alleged job-for-sex racket, The Indian Express has learnt.
As a part of this, over 20 ladies are alleged to have been taken to Narain’s residence in Port Blair throughout his year-long tenure and a few of them are stated to have gotten jobs in lieu of being sexually exploited, investigators have been instructed.
Narain is predicted to look earlier than the SIT on October 28, the final date set for his look by the Calcutta High Court.
Senior law enforcement officials in Port Blair confirmed to The Indian Express that CDRs (name knowledge data) and mobile phone tower places of cell phones of the 2 bureaucrats, each suspended, and of the 21-year-old “match” the alleged sequence of occasions, as supplied by the lady.
Sources have additionally confirmed that the exhausting disk of the DVR (digital video recorder) of the shut circuit (CCTV) digicam system put in on the Chief Secretary’s home was first erased and, subsequently, the DVR was eliminated on the time of his switch from Port Blair to Delhi in July.
It is known {that a} PWD official and a neighborhood CCTV professional have given their testimonies confirming the alleged destruction of digital proof.
While arguing for denial of transit bail to the bureaucrat, the A&N prosecutor had, earlier than the Delhi High Court, stated that the assertion of the sufferer had been corroborated by a “protected witness” and by digital proof. The October 20 order additionally states that there are “instances of tampering the evidence by the petitioner (Narain).”
Denying the fees, Narain, in letters to the Home Ministry and A&N administration, has stated there’s a “conspiracy” in opposition to him and claimed that he has “specific materials which demonstrate the fake nature of the case.”
He has challenged his presence in Port Blair on one of many two dates given within the FIR and cited air tickets and appointment schedules to indicate his presence in New Delhi. On Wednesday, his attorneys moved a petition within the Sessions Court apprehending destruction of that proof.
However, the 21-year-old’s members of the family are understood to have instructed the police there was a mix-up within the dates given by the lady and have since clarified this of their testimonies to the SIT.
When contacted in New Delhi, Narain stated he couldn’t touch upon the newest developments because the matter was sub judice. His lawyer, who filed the newest petition in Port Blair in the present day, declined to remark.
A day after The Indian Express reported on the allegations, Narain was suspended on orders of the Home Ministry on October 17 and has acquired interim bail till November 14. Rishi has additionally been suspended and non-bailable warrants have been issued in his identify after his bail plea was rejected in Port Blair.
On October 18, a staff of the A&N police, accompanied by officers of the Delhi Police, reached the residence of Narain in New Delhi, with a discover for him to look earlier than the SIT. While he was not at his residence, “electronic” proof, together with laptops and cell phones, have been collected by the police staff and brought to Port Blair for forensic examination. The lacking DVR participant was not among the many proof traced by the A&N police.
When contacted, A&N’s Director General of Police Neeraj Thakur instructed The Indian Express right here that the fast precedence is to pursue the gangrape allegation for which the 21-year-old lodged an FIR on October 1.
“We have formed an SIT and are confident about the oral and electronic evidences collected by them. As the investigation progresses, we are preparing to present a strong case in court,” Thakur stated.
Crucial to the probe are testimonies (some recorded underneath Section 164 CrPC) to the SIT by members of the previous Chief Secretary’s workers together with drivers, cooks and different househelp. At least considered one of them has been listed as a “protected witness” by the SIT for concern of his safety.
One workers member stated: “I was threatened by the then Chief Secretary about danger to my life if I ever spoke about the (women) guests that visited the house.”
The workers member, amongst others, spoke to The Indian Express and alleged that between 20-25 ladies have been escorted by him to the previous Chief Secretary’s home with the sample of visits “matching” the sequence described by the 21-year-old in her unique criticism to the A&N police and later within the FIR.
At least one staffer has testified to the SIT about how he can be instructed to “pick up the women,” usually decide up meals from a neighborhood restaurant, serve it on the Chief Secretary’s home and later be requested to drop the ladies off at a pre-destined place. At least two “guests” of the Chief Secretary have been escorted by him to his home even after the 2 visits of the 21-year-old in April and May, the staffer stated.
Speaking to The Indian Express, the 21-year-old girl stated that she had supplied “every minute detail” to the SIT. She added that on each her visits, she discovered the door to the kitchen locked from the skin to restrict the workers inside and that it was a “driver” who served them meals and snacks.
She stated she was requested to “deposit” her cell phone in a bowl positioned on the entrance of the home and that Rishi and Rinku, a resort proprietor who had launched her to the Labour Commissioner – he’s additionally absconding — warned her in opposition to talking concerning the violent sexual assault to anybody.
The girl has additionally given the SIT an audio dialog purportedly between herself and Rinku during which the latter warns her in opposition to going public and guarantees her a Government job. She has since been taken by the SIT for a medical examination and to the alleged scene of the sexual assault to assist investigators reconstruct the occasions. She is alleged to have recognized the automobile during which she was taken.
“I was repeatedly assured by the Chief Secretary and the Labour Commissioner that a job for me was confirmed. Then all this happened and when Rishi told me that the Chief Secretary has been transferred and there was no chance of a job, I decided to go to the police” she stated.
Her members of the family stated they have been now proposing to maneuver the Supreme Court for cancellation of the previous Chief Secretary’s interim bail, granted by the Calcutta High Court.
SIT officers stated they’ve collected “all possible, detailed” proof within the case and will probably be able to file a chargesheet within the subsequent few weeks.
In her criticism, the lady stated that searching for a job, she was launched to Rishi by Rinku, the resort proprietor, and Rishi took her to Narain’s residence. There, she stated, she was supplied liquor which she refused and was assured Government employment . Subsequently, she alleged, she was brutally and sexually abused by the 2 males.
Two weeks later, she alleged within the criticism, she was once more referred to as at 9 pm by them to the Chief Secretary’s residence and the assault was repeated.
