Dombivli gangrape case: Police say technical evidence key to cracking it

The 15-year-old girl was raped multiple times since January this year. Representation pic

With the arrest of the 33rd and final accused in the Dombivli gangrape case, in which a 15-year-old girl was raped multiple times by friends and acquaintances since January this year, the Manpada police said that they will now rely on technical evidence to take the investigation forward. They said that the alleged video filmed by some of the accused when the girl was first raped and call details and chats of the accused will serve as crucial evidence.

According to the police, the girl was raped several times from January 29 till September 22, following which her family registered a case with the Manpada police. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the case have arrested all the 33 accused named by the survivor. During preliminary investigation and interrogation, many of the accused confessed to their involvement and that they had assaulted the survivor. But cops said that in order to prove the offence, technical evidence was crucial.

"Soon after the arrests we seized the mobile phones of the accused. Many of them have either deleted previous data or uninstalled chatting apps through which they were in touch either with the victim or co-accused," said an officer requesting anonymity. "Many of the accused were present on at least five to six instances when the girl was sexually assaulted, which means they were in touch with the prime accused," he added.

The officer further said, "The alleged video of assault recorded on January 29, call details, tower location and dump data will hold key in proving the conspiracy and involvement of the accused. There is hardly any possibility of getting biological evidence against the accused, as months have passed since the offence." The cops have seized an auto-rickshaw, which was used to pick up the victim on September 22 from near her home.