Varanasi Gangrape: Accused' Families Blame Victim of Extorting Money, Share Her Videos as Proof

New Delhi: In the alleged gangrape of a 19-year-old woman in Varanasi, the families of the accused  has come forward with serious counterclaims against the victim. The families have alleged that the survivor was extorting money from those she later named in the FIR and presented videos as purported evidence.

Varanasi Commissioner of Police, Mohit Agrawal, said, "On 6th April, an FIR was registered in which a 19-year-old woman alleged that a number of her friends raped her at separate locations on separate dates. The woman had accused a total of 23 people. In this case, 14 people were arrested."

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Meanwhile, the families of those named in the FIR submitted video clips at the police station that they claim show the woman in "questionable postures" at various ghats and public locations between March 29 and April 4.

"Today, the people from families of the persons named in the FIR and those arrested came to the Police station with pieces of evidence containing videos in which the woman was seen in questionable postures at ghats and other places between 29th March and 4th April. In a video, she was seen in some videos," said Agrawal.

He further added, “These people have also mentioned money being extorted from them They are also alleging that if she was being raped a number of times then why did she not approach the Police before. A 6-member SIT has been formed to be led by a DCP rank officer which will probe the case."

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The case, which surfaced on April 5 after the girl's parents filed a complaint, alleges that the teenager was drugged and raped by 23 individuals between March 29 and April 4. An FIR was filed the next day, naming 12 identified individuals and 11 others.

One of the latest arrests in the case was Raj Khan, who was taken into custody on Tuesday and produced in court on Wednesday. With his arrest, the total number of people in custody has reached 14.  The senior official said of 12 identified, 11 were arrested while the search for others continued.

As the investigation continues, the SIT is expected to examine both the allegations of gangrape and the new claims of extortion and consent raised by the families of the accused.