Pune: The identification parade for Shoaib Akhtar alias Shoaib Babu Sheikh, the main accused in the horrific gang rape case that took place in Bopdev Ghat, will be conducted shortly.
The police have informed the court that they plan to question Sheikh alongside the still-at-large suspect to piece together the full sequence of events in the case. This was revealed during a court hearing on Tuesday (October 22).
Sheikh, who had been in police custody until October 22, was presented before the court as his remand was nearing its end. The police have already recorded statements from key witnesses, and Sheikh's DNA sample has been collected and sent for forensic examination, stated investigating officer Inspector Yuvraj Hande.
The brutal crime occurred on the night of October 3, when a young woman who was out with a friend in Bopdev Ghat was threatened with a machete and gang-raped by the assailants.
After the incident, Sheikh went into hiding but was eventually tracked down by the Crime Branch in the Prayagraj area of Uttar Pradesh on Monday. He was subsequently brought to Pune and presented before the court in Wanawadi.
Sheikh's accomplice, Chandrakumar Raviprasad Kanojia, aged 20 and a resident of Undri, Kondhwa, had already been arrested earlier. Kanojia remains in judicial custody in Yerawada Jail, with his police custody rights intact.
Judicial Custody for Sheikh
The next step in the investigation involves holding an identification parade where the victim and witnesses will be asked to identify Sheikh.
Meanwhile, police continue to search for the absconding co-accused. Once he is apprehended, the investigation will proceed with a joint interrogation to uncover the entire chain of events surrounding the crime.
During the hearing, public prosecutor Dr. Amrapali Kasture argued that Sheikh should be remanded to judicial custody while preserving the police's rights to further question him.
The court agreed to this request and ordered Sheikh to be held in judicial custody for 14 days, keeping his police custody rights intact for further investigation.
