DNA samples on victim match with accused

Mumbai (PTI): Mumbai police moved closer to nailing the five accused arrested in the photo-journalist's gang-rape case with forensic tests confirming that DNA samples found on the victim matched with those of the suspects. "We have received forensic report from Directorate of Forensic Sciences Laboratory at Kalina. The DNA samples found on the victim match with the DNA samples of all five accused. This is one of the strongest evidences to confirm that the accused were involved in the crime," Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Himanshu Roy said.

Roy said one of the five accused was found to be a minor with his brother producing a birth certificate issued by the city's civic authority and a school leaving certificate both of which showed he was born in February 1997. "We have also verified with the authorities concerned (with regard to the date of the birth of the minor accused). The certificates state that the accused was born in the month of February in 1997.

Now ossification test is not required to be done to determine his age," he said. After the arrest of this accused, police had claimed he was 18 years of age but his family had disputed it, saying he was a minor. Following this police had planned to conduct an ossification test. Meanwhile, a group of women hurled eggs at three accused in the photojournalist gang-rape case when they were being brought out of a court here on Friday, while confusion prevailed over the age of another suspect whose family claimed he was a minor.

Shiraz Rehman Khan, Vijay Jadhav and Kasim Bengali faced the wrath of the women, who attacked them with eggs while they were being escorted to a jeep after being produced before the court here. The women, claiming to be members of a political party, raised slogans and demanded that alleged rapists be hanged. Earlier, the trio was further remanded in police custody till September 5. The custody was extended after Crime Branch told the court that they are yet to recover some clothes of the accused and hence their remand was required. Another accused could not be brought before the court after his family produced a "certificate" saying he is a minor.