Gang-rape: Delhi police yet to confirm age of fifth arrested accused

New Delhi: The fifth accused, who was taken into custody Friday in connection with the shocking torture and rape of a 23-year-old woman here, claims he is a minor, but it is yet to be verified, said police. Police have collected some certificates and documents from the accused`s hometown at Badaun district in Uttar Pradesh to check his date of birth.

"No document through which it can be proved that he is a juvenile has been detected yet," a senior Delhi Police officer told IANS. "We are, however, verifying his age," the officer said. The accused, who was arrested from the Uttar Pradesh district, was claiming that he was below 18 years of age. Delhi Police have also conducted his medical examination in a hospital after his arrest. "We were planning to produce him before the juvenile justice board but later changed the plan, as a doubt evolved about his age. He might be a major," said a officer who is part of the investigation team. The accused will be produced in the appropriate court after the confirmation of his age, he said. The apprehended youth was one among the accused who allegedly raped the girl in the moving bus. During interrogation, the main accused Ram Singh had told the police that of the six, three men raped the girl while others were involved in beating her and her friend in the bus. "The apprehended accused is one among those who raped the girl," said a police officer. Police had traced the fifth accused on the basis of his physical appearance, which was revealed by four of the accused, who were arrested in the rape case earlier. PTI