Delhi's Kanjhawala horror: What we know so far in the hit-and-run case

While the family of the victim has alleged a larger conspiracy, the police are yet to establish any proof for the same. Here is all you need to know about the Kanjhawala case

On January 1, Delhi woke up to the shocking news of an accident in the wee hours in Sultanpuri. CCTV footage showed a 20-year-old girl being dragged under a car. The deceased girl was found naked by the police when they reached the spot after eyewitnesses made three PCR calls. 

According to police reports, the girl was dragged under the car for almost 12 kilometres from Sultanpuri to Kanjhawala after her scooter was hit by the car.

The victim, Anjali Singh, an event organiser, was returning from work when the incident happened. The police arrested five men who were inside the car on Monday. Later it was found that the woman was not alone on the scooter and was accompanied by a friend at the time of the incident.

Delhi police have claimed that the accident occurred between 2.04 am and 2.06 am, whereas the body was found at a distance of 10-12 kilometres away from where the accident occurred.

"The distance between the place where the incident took place and the spot where the body was found is around 10-12km, but it is not possible to say for how long the body was dragged," Special commissioner Sagar Preet Hooda said.

The police arrested Deepak Khanna (26), Amit Khanna (25), Krishan (27), Mithun (26) and Manoj Mittal in the case. Later two more -- Ashutosh and Ankush Khanna were also identified as accused by the police. 

Development so far:
 

• Initially, the family had alleged sexual assault on the victim. However, a preliminary post-mortem report of her body indicated "no injury suggestive of sexual assault" on Monday, January 2.
• Police investigation revealed that the body was found almost an hour later.
• After tracing the girls' route, it was established a girl was with her at the time of the accident. She suffered injuries and fled from the spot, but the deceased's legs got stuck in the car, after which she was dragged, according to the police.
• Nidhi, who accompanied Anjali and fled the spot, claimed that the men knew the girl was stuck under their car, but still, they kept dragging her. She further contended that Anjali was also drunk driving. However, her claim has been refuted by the victim's family, and no such evidence has been found in the post-mortem report.
• After initial reports of Deepak driving the car, it was later found that Amit, who didn't even have a driving licence, was driving the car at the time of the accident. Earlier, Deepak had claimed responsibility for driving. And drunk driving is cited as a reason behind the accident.
• On January 5, after going through CCTV footage and call detail records, the police zeroed in on two more suspects -- Ashutosh and Ankush Khanna -- and said they were involved in tampering with evidence.
• The car belonged to Ashutosh. And Deepak and Amit had borrowed it from Ashutosh for December 31 night.
• The police have arrested Ashutosh while Ankush is absconding.
• Absoconding Ankush Khanna is the brother of accused Amit Khanna. Ankush allegedly convinced Deepak Khanna, a Gramin Seva driver, to confess to the police that he was driving the car at the time of the accident.
• However, the police investigation revealed that Deepak Khanna was at home, and only four people were in the car.
• The Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora assigned some crime branch officers and a few experienced cops from other areas to assist in the investigation. 

 

Autopsy report:

 

The victim's autopsy reports mentioned that her brain matter was missing, the skull cavity was found open, her ribs were exposed from the back of the chest, her spine was fractured, and she had at least 40 injuries all over her body.

 

A panel of doctors from Maulana Azad Medical College ruled "shock and hemorrhage as a result of antemortem injury to the head, spine, left femur, and both lower limbs" as the provisional cause of death.

 

Claims of conspiracy:

 

While the family of the victim has alleged a larger conspiracy, the police are yet to establish any proof for the same. The family has also denied knowing Nidhi, who was riding the scooter and has identified herself as the victim's "friend".

 

Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal, on January 5, expressed doubts about the Delhi police's investigation and demanded a CBI probe into the Kanjhawala incident.

 

"Today, Delhi Police personnel appeared before the panel and we found several question marks in the investigation. The police have not even seized Nidhi's phone till now which could have important evidence. They have not scanned the complete CCTV footage on the 12 kilometre stretch on which Anjali was dragged, not even the footage from the hotel till the accident site," Maliwal said in a public statement.

 

"We have also found that statements under section 164 CrpC have not been recorded of all the witnesses. Action should be taken against the guilty policemen, who did not respond to the PCR calls on time and the case should be handed over to the CBI," she added.

 

The police have said they found no proof to establish that the hit-and-run victim knew the accused.

 

Special CP (law and order) Sagar Preet Hooda said 18 teams were working on the Kanjhawala case, and the Police are also exploring legal options to get the case heard in a fast-track court.