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Two more arrested for gang-rape at hotel, room was booked in name of two absconding businessmen, say police
The room at Shangri-La Hotel on Ashoka Road-Janpath roundabout, where a 27-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped by five men in the presence of another woman on
The room at Shangri-La Hotel on Ashoka Road-Janpath roundabout, where a 27-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped by five men in the presence of another woman on Friday, was booked in the names of the two businessmen who are yet to be arrested, police said on Monday, after arresting two more suspects in the case.
With this, three suspects have been arrested so far while the two businessmen and the woman remain at large.
Those arrested on Monday were identified as Sanjay Chaudhary,46, a bailiff in Saket Court, and Jagdeep Singh,60, a businessman, said deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Eish Singhal.
The alleged prime accused, Manoj Sharma,48, a building contractor, was the first to be arrested on Sunday, a day after a case under Sections 376D (gang-rape) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code based on the rape survivor’s complaint.
The rape survivor has alleged that the woman who was in the room had instigated and provoked the five men to sexually assault her, police said.
There were unconfirmed reports that the room was booked and paid by the personal staff of a politician. The police, however, said the booking and payment were done online by one of the two businessmen.
“At this stage of the investigation, all we can say is that the room was booked in the name of the two businessmen whose political links have not emerged so far in our probe. Further facts will be known only when we arrest and question the two businessmen,” an officer associated with the probe said, on condition of anonymity. The officer added that the names of the businessmen will be shared only after arresting them and verifying their role.
An email with queries about the booking was on Monday sent to the spokesperson of Shangri-La Hotel who said, “The Delhi Police is currently looking into an incident which allegedly took place at our hotel. We are unable to provide any details as this is an ongoing investigation. The hotel is extending its full support to the authorities.”
On Monday, the investigating team took the detailed statement of the rape survivor to ascertain the exact sequence of events. The woman told the police that she was introduced to Sharma by a woman friend. She had first met Sharma in the first week of September to seek a personal loan of ₹18 lakh from him, the police said.
The rape survivor, the first officer said, told the investigating team that she contacted Sharma on Friday for the purpose of getting the loan. Sharma allegedly told her meet him outside the Shangri-La Hotel and that he will issue a cheque to her for ₹18 lakh.
Sharma was with a woman at the meeting point and they both took her to a room in the hotel where four men were already present, the officer said, quoting the rape survivor’s statement.
“The analysis of the hotel’s CCTV cameras shows that the complainant remained in the hotel for nearly two and a half hours. She left with Sharma who later dropped her home. She approached the police and filed the gang-rape complaint on Saturday night, a day after the crime. Her statement before the magistrate will be recorded on Tuesday,” the officer said.
