The minor son of a MLA of the AIMIM has been named as an accused in the Hyderabad gangrape case that has set off outrage and political clashes in Telangana. All six accused — one adult and five minors — are now in custody.
The first five have been accused under sections of gangrape, abduction, voluntarily causing hurt as also sections of the POCSO Act, meaning they could get a death penalty, 20 years in jail or a lifetime in jail.
The sixth has been accused outraging modesty of a woman, voluntarily causing hurt and also sexual assault.
Last week, BJP MLA Raghunandan Rao had released a video clip and photographs of the teen and her assailants, alleging the presence of the MLA’s son in a car with her. The police, he alleged, was engaged in a cover-up.
Initially, the police maintained that the legislator’s son was not involved in the gangrape as he had left the group at a local pastry shop.
He had travelled a short distance in the Innova and then returned as he got a phone call, so it was five people who committed the rape, the commissioner said, admitting that they had come to know of his involvement in the initial sexual assault on the girl only after the video and photos released by the BJP leader.
The accused are students of Class 11 and 12 and belong to politically influential families.
One of the minors caught by the police is the son of a local leader of the state’s ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Another minor is the son of a TRS leader from Sanga Reddy.