Dingarheri rape and murder: Accused want cops, NGOs probed

The four accused in the case alleged that some police officers and NGOs stoked communal tension in the wake of the incident, leading to them being falsely implicated

Four persons, who were arrested in connection with the Dingarheri gang rape and murder case, submitted an application in the Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday seeking directions that the CBI should investigate the role of anti-social elements including certain NGOs in stoking communal tension and vitiating the atmosphere, leading to their false arrest.

The CBI submitted a chargesheet stating that the Axle gang (in pic) is behind the Dingarheri gang-rape and murder. (Parveen Kumar/HT FILE)

The accused also requested that the CBI probe the role of investigating officers of Haryana police who implicated them in this case despite a body of evidence suggesting otherwise.

The application comes in the wake of CBI chargesheet submitted in the court stating that the Dingarheri incident was the handiwork of Axle gang, whose members confessed to the rape and murders that took place on the intervening night of August 24-25, 2016. The involvement of the four gang members — Dharmu, Muna, Lambu and Jai Bhagwan — was confirmed after the DNA and finger print samples matched the biological evidence collected from the spot.

“The four suspects who were arrested initially are innocent and it is critical that the CBI investigate the role of the anti-social elements and NGOs in stoking communal tension in the wake of an offence by some hardcore criminals, ultimately leading to the wrongful arrest of the petitioners,” the application said.

The petitioners also requested that the central agency investigate all aspects of the conspiracy hatched by police officers and private players, which led to the false implication of four persons — Sandeep, Amarjeet, Rahul Verma and Karamjit.

“The petitioners were arrested after a lot of socio-political pressure was created by certain NGOs and vested interests to communalise the incident. A press conference was also organised in which victims in the incident made certain allegations that led to communal tension in the area and forced the police to implicate innocents from a neighbouring village with no connection to the crime,” Pradeep Rapria, counsel for the four accused demanding a CBI probe, said.

After the CBI chargesheet, Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh also demanded that an independent probe be conducted to investigate the reasons which led to the arrest of innocent persons. He also demanded action against officers involved in framing of the four persons.