Unnao accused remanded in 14-day judicial custody

Police waited for the whole day and produced the accused in court just five minutes before the court closure time, fearing a backlash from the lawyers who had announced they would not take up the case of the Unnao accused.

All the five men who allegedly set a rape survivor on fire after failing to force her to withdraw her FIR were remanded in 14 days’ judicial custody on Friday by a court in Unnao.

Forensic experts investigate at the site where a rape victim was allegedly set ablaze by five men at Sindupur village in Unnao district. (PTI)

Police waited for the whole day and produced the accused in court just five minutes before the court closure time, fearing a backlash from the lawyers who had announced they would not take up the case of the Unnao accused, police officers said.

“Police will seek the remand of the accused soon. The security of the victim’s family has been beefed up further,” said district magistrate Unnao Devendra Pandey.

The Unnao police have arrested Shivam Trivedi, his cousin Shubham, Shivam’s father Hari Shankar Trivedi, uncle Ram Kishore Trivedi and Umesh Bajpai.

The district magistrate and SP Unnao Vikrant Veer questioned the accused throughout the night at the Bihar police station where they were kept under tight security.

Policemen drawn from Bighapur, Bara Sagwar, Achalgunj police stations were stationed there.

Two forensic teams from Kanpur and Lucknow visited the crime scene on Thursday night and collected more samples. The teams prepared the report at the Bihar police station and sent it to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) Lucknow through a special messenger.

A FSL team member said the samples were taken to determine which substance was used in commission of the crime. Another team headed by circle officer Gaurav Tripathi again questioned the accused one by one at night.

A surveillance team of the Unnao police worked on finding the location of the accused. It found that Shivam Trivedi, the prime accused, had spoken to one Abhishek Trivedi early on Thursday morning. The police have also questioned Abhishek and called him to the police station for another round of questioned.

The five men were taken to the primary health centre on Friday morning where doctors examined them.

They were not produced in court early in the day and kept at the police lines during that time.

They were moved just minutes before the chief judicial magistrate was to leave for the day.