Footballer sent to 14-day judicial custody in rape case

Kolkata: East Bengal midfielder Jogpreet Singh and his cook Ravi Singh, arrested Tuesday night for their suspected involvement in the gangrape of a 14-year-old girl, was on Wednesday remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by a court here.

Police were still on the lookout for former India player Baldeep Singh, who plays for United Sports, and another footballer Jaspal Singh alias Joseph for the incident which allegedly took place Monday afternoon at a housing complex near Nagerbazar in neighbouring North 24 Parganas district`s Dum Dum. The victim Wednesday gave a confessional statement following which a district court at Barrackpore sent the arrested duo to a 14-day judicial custody. An officer at the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate said the girl`s medical examination had also been done. East Bengal club official Debabrata Sarkar claimed that Jogpreet was at the team dressing room at the Salt Lake stadium from 12 noon onwards Monday, preparing with the team for the I-League game against Pune FC. "Let law take its own course. But how can he (Jogpreet) be at the scene of the crime when he was with us, when the incident happened?" asked Sarkar. However, he said the club had released Jaspal Oct 26. "We don`t have any information about him now". United Sports have suspended Baldeep till he is proven innocent. "He (Baldeep) was at the India camp for the Nehru Cup but had to return as he got injured," said United Sports official Alokesh Kundu. IANS