The CBI on Sunday took over the investigation into the alleged gang rape and assault that led to the death of a 19-year-old woman in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. The accused has complained to police that it was a case of honour killing by the mother and brother of the deceased. When politicians selectively choose to exploit crime for political brownie point, truth can be anything.

Missing relative

The police had for past week searching a missing relative who was staying with the family from 16th September. (The incident happened on 14th September) The search led it to Medical College, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh and it turned out that missing relative is now ‘naxal bhabhi’ trending on social media and she is a forensic professional.

Madhya Pradesh’s Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College has initiated an enquiry into the conduct of Dr Rajkumari Bansal, a forensic specialist from the institute who according to some media outlets was living with the victim’s family “posing as a relative”. The reports alleged she had links with Naxalism. The college said she “went on leave without information”.

Conflict of interest:

Presence of any forensic expert not sponsored or permitted by investigation agency is a serious lapse in investigation. It is also a serious attempt to sabotage the investigation. This may be the first but if this is not dealt seriously it may soon may become norm with criminal calling for forensic help to wipe clean the crime scene.

Apart from that, this social media is a buzz with pictures of this forensic expert with politicians who only play identity politics. If that be true, it may be part of a big play being planned by those people. They must also be investigated and their call records checked to see who gave instructions to the Bansal to reach Hathras.

Meanwhile several police teams from Mathura have been dispatched to Malappuram district in Kerala and elsewhere to investigate the journalist and three others booked under the anti-terror law UAPA and charged with sedition for allegedly conspiring to cause caste riots in the state. The four accused — Siddiqui Kappan, a journalist with a Malayalam-language news site in Delhi, Atikur Rahman of Muzaffarnagar, Masood Ahmad from Bahraich and Aalam from Rampur — were detained on October 5 while on their way to Hathras.

From Kerala to Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh, the network of riot mongers is very vast. It needs to be broken down, like yesterday.