No forensic report yet on Sion rape-murder

Two weeks after a 25-year-old woman was raped and killed by four men in Sion last month, the forensic lab at Kalina is yet to release its report. HT Correspondent reports.

Two weeks after a 25-year-old woman was raped and killed by four men in Sion last month, the forensic lab at Kalina is yet to release its report.

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On September 21, three brothers, Rajesh (30), Kumar (28) and Nitya Devendra (25) and their friend, Shankar Mudliar (35) allegedly raped and burnt the woman alive at her Sion-Koliwada home.

The police arrested them on September 22.

“We have not started analysing the samples we got from the Antop Hill police because of pending cases and a staff shortage,” said MV Garad, director, Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory (DFSL).

DFSL got vaginal swabs, blood, the victim’s nail clippings and clothes of the accused on September 23.

DFSL said it hasn’t got blood samples of any of the accused. “We cannot extract DNA of the accused without their blood or semen. And we need their DNA to establish its presence or absence in the victim’s vaginal swab,” said a DFSL official.

DFSL said it is a complex case — with burning, rape and murder at the same time — and that the tests could take at least 10 to 15 days.

Devram Devkar, senior inspector of Antop Hill police station, said: “We will meet the DFSL director and request him to release the report as soon as possible.”

The victim’s family has stressed this is not a frame-up.

“My younger daughter saw it happen. Senior officers and hospital doctors recorded my daughter’s dying declaration. Why would she speak lies on her death bed?” the victim’s father said.

He added that the accused are politically well connected and are trying very hard to influence the investigation.