Suspects’ interim bail extended

Rawalpindi : The Area Magistrate, Rawalpindi Faizan Rasool Friday extended interim bail of a group of men accused of filming a teenage girl on a road in Rawalpindi after stripping off her clothes, posting the video clip online, and allegedly gang-raping her.

The court has extended interim bail of accused till August 11.

All accused involved in this crime appeared before the court and requested extension in their interim bail.

Waris Khan Police Station registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Sections of 354, 509 and 34 against "intoxicated young men, who stripped a 17-year-old girl naked and made a video" near Saidpuri Gate in the Rawat Police Station's jurisdiction.

The accused had reportedly undressed the girl and made a video of her but police only sprang into action when the video surfaced on social media.

They said the girl told them that the men had also gang-raped her at knifepoint. The scope of the investigation has therefore been widened after her statement, they added. In her statement, the teenager said she was helpless, did not have any support, and was the sole breadwinner for her three orphaned brothers.

"I was returning from working at someone's home at night," she said in her statement. "I went to the Banni Police Station but the police refused to file a report.

"I have no support. The accused had threatened me so I remained silent. Police only contacted me after they watched the video on social media," she added.

Rawalpindi police, on the other hand, explained that they have arrested the main accused while the other two were on interim bail.