SIT gives clean chit to five rape-accused for the second time

MuZAFFARNAGAR: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Muzaffarnagar riots has given a clean chit for the second time to five persons accused of gangraping a woman due to lack of evidence, police said today.

Five persons Sushil, Ramesh, Ram Kumar, Devender and Jogender are accused of allegedly gangraping a 30-year-old woman on September 8 in Phugana village during communal riots in Muzaffaranagar and its adjoining districts last year.

SIT had filed a final report in this case earlier and given a clean chit to the accused as the victim had turned hostile.

The case was, however, reopened on the directive of the Supreme Court, which had ordered that statement of the victim should be recorded again before a woman magistrate.

The woman had then admitted of being gangraped by five men before the woman magistrate and said she gave her earlier statement under pressure.

SIT had once again given a clean chit to the accused yesterday citing lack of evidence.

However, the victim's family has said they will challenge the SIT's clean chit in the apex court.