Shakti Mill gangrapes: Cops look for mobile tower data in 2nd case

The Mumbai crime branch, which is probing the second case of gangrape at Shakti Mill, of a 19-year old, is trying to get details of the tower locations from the mobile phones used by the five accused, and the survivor and her male companion at the scene of the crime. HT reports.

The Mumbai crime branch, which is probing the second case of gangrape at Shakti Mill, of a 19-year old, is trying to get details of the tower locations from the mobile phones used by the five accused, and the survivor and her male companion at the scene of the crime.

This, investigators said, would help prove that they were all present there on July 31, when the crime allegedly took place.

Officials in the investigating team, requesting anonymity, said circumstantial evidence will have to be used to prove the crime because the case lacked medical evidence as the complaint was filed more than a month after the incident took place.

The police will soon be seeking the custody of Mohamed Kasim Hafiz Sheikh alias Bangali, Salim Ansari and Vijay Jadhav — also accused in the gangrape of a 22-year-old photojournalist in the mill compound — in the second gangrape case.

Their statement before the police may not hold much weight in the court, but officials said it will help them collect further evidence and put together the chain of events that led to the crime.

Officials also said the test identification parade (TIP), which was done in the presence of a magistrate following the culmination of their police custody, will also be crucial piece of evidence.

The police will also try and look for witnesses in the case.

Officials said the pursuit for the fifth accused, Ashfaque Shaikh, is currently underway and teams have gone to various states to arrest him.