Badaun gangrape case: CBI receives DNA report from centre

New Delhi, Aug 19:

has received a report from the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics in the

rape and murder case which may enable the agency to nail the culprits soon.

CBI sources said the report is a crucial evidence for the investigating team and the case may be cracked anytime now, though they have not revealed the findings.

The sources said that report of the three-member medical board headed by AIIMS forensic expert is still awaited and they have been asked to expedite the matter.

The case snowballed into a major controversy

The panel could not exhume bodies of the two teenaged victims for autopsy because of an apparently delayed decision in this regard. The heavy rains resulted in waters of river Ganga inundating the graves and making it impossible to dig out the bodies for forensic examination.

The panel then asked the agency to provide the belongings of the victims so that some samples can be taken for medical and forensic analysis, the sources said, adding that the board has also visited the crime scene.

The clearing of lie-detection test by the accused has put the needle of suspicion on the family. This suspicion grew strong as family members and an eyewitness failed the test.

The sources said the agency is now looking at the role of a local politician who allegedly influenced the family to put blame of the killing on the five accused - Pappu, Awadhesh and Urvesh Yadav (brothers) and constables Chhatrapal Yadav and Sarvesh Yadav - who all belonged to a particular caste.

The two cousin sisters were found hanging from a tree in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh in the last week of May, an incident which sparked national outrage with the Samajwadi Party government in the state coming under fire on the issue of law and order situation.

The sources said suspicion of the agency also grew on the family members as the tree on which the bodies were found hung is almost 12 feet tall and is close to the residence of Pappu Yadav, the alleged boyfriend of the elder sister, who was the main accused according to the family.

The investigators were wondering why a suspect will kill and hang bodies on a 12-feet tall tree which is at a stone's throw distance from his house. It was also found that he was at his home when the alleged incident took place.

Besides, the sources said that if at all the accused had killed the girls, they could have disposed of the bodies rather than hang them from a tree for a public spectacle. Also hanging of two bodies from that tall tree would not have been easy.

The sources said the DNA evidence received from CDFD will help the agency in giving a foundation on which it would build up its further probe.

The Uttar Pradesh government have come under criticism from the family of the victims who have alleged that it was shielding the suspects as they belonged to a particular community.

The case snowballed into a major controversy, prompting senior leaders from different parties, including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, to visit the crime scene.

However, Uttar Pradesh DGP AL Banerjee had claimed that the rape of one of the victims was not confirmed and property could be one of the motives behind the crime.

He had said that a lot of evidence could have been collected immediately after the incident but the local police had made no extra effort to find it.

With PTI inputs

OneIndia News