Another uncle of 10-year-old rape victim arrested

Police sources said that the newly arrested man is 42 years old. He stayed with his elder brother at a Sector 35 residence. (Representational)

THE RAPE case of the 10-year-old girl took another turn on Tuesday when the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Chandigarh Police arrested another uncle of the victim, after her statement under Section 164 of the CrPC was recorded once again in the court According to police sources, the second accused is the younger brother of the person arrested earlier by the police.

Police sources said that the newly arrested man is 42 years old. He stayed with his elder brother at a Sector 35 residence. According to police sources, the victim was counselled for three hours by the social welfare department team along with the police officials on Tuesday. During the counselling session, the victim mentioned the name of another relative to the police.

Later in the afternoon, the police team got the victim’s statement recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC again in the local court. Acting on the statement of the victim, the police team rounded up the person and later in the evening arrested him under sections of rape.

A police official confirmed the arrest of the second accused, and said that the accused was arrested in the evening and an investigation was being carried out to ascertain his involvement. The 10-year-old rape victim gave birth to a baby girl at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32 on August 17.

The other accused, arrested immediately after the victim’s parents complained to the police about the rape of their daughter, is in judicial custody. The DNA report of this accused had not matched with the newborn baby of the victim, following which the police had moved an application for further investigation in the case which was allowed by the court.

The police have also moved an application of conducting afresh DNA test of the first accused and the newborn baby. The court has asked the defence counsel to file a reply in the matter on Wednesday.