The Shriram Mills compound rape case is getting murkier by the day.
The police are still clueless about the identity of one of the key witnesses in the case, Francis. The victim had claimed that on the night of the incident she was waiting for Francis near the David Sasoon library where the accused Abhishek Kasliwal gave her a lift. According to her, Francis was a steward at the Sports Bar near Regal cinema. However, even after a week after the rape, no headway has been made with Francis. Neither the police nor the bar staff knew anything about Francis. The Worli police now believe this was an alias.
Second, the identity of another witness, Lawrence, remains a mystery. Lawrence, supposedly works at a reputed five-star hotel near Marine Drive. He had taken the victim to the hospital after Abhishek dropped her in Colaba after the rape. Police claim Lawrence is also a pseudo name.
Likewise, the victim was known to her friends by her alias, Anna. Her real name was revealed only after the incident. The victim had also given the police a false residential addresses initially. She said she had been scared her relatives would be troubled if they learnt about the incident.
Abhishek Kasliwal too goes by an assumed name, Vicky Malhotra. He is known by this alias in the pubs he frequents. He had introduced himself by this name to the victim. Moreover, his friends also have assumed names.
Meanwhile, a senior officer from the Worli police station said none of the persons alleged to have been sexually assaulted by Abhishek and his friends in the past have lodged complaints to that effect. "They are all making claims in the media," the officer added. The official said they might have lodged complaints in the Colaba police station. However, the senior inspector of Colaba police station said they had received no such complaint till Saturday.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, a senior officer from the Worli police station said none of the persons alleged to have been sexually assaulted by Abhishek and his friends in the past have lodged complaints to that effect. "They are all making claims in the media," the officer added. The official said they might have lodged complaints in the Colaba police station. However, the senior inspector of Colaba police station said they had received no such complaint till Saturday.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, an executive working with a BPO had claimed Abhishek and his friends raped her inside his car on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and dumped her after giving her Rs 100.
Another friend of the victim, Dillip Shetty, had also alleged that he was sexually assaulted by Abhishek in the past.
However, police sources said the statements of the victim's friends, including Stephany Jordan and Shetty, had been recorded.