JH gangrape case: Cops unable to retrieve data from destroyed mobile phones

HYDERABAD: Three months after five minors and a man allegedly raped a minor girl in a car in Jubilee Hills, the Hyderabad police are still having trouble retrieving data from the mobile phones of the accused, which were used to record the video of the crime that sparked outrage across the city.

According to sources, the gangrape accused destroyed their mobile phones before they were arrested, erasing the full video recording of the crime committed in a car on May 28 after offering her a ride home as she was leaving Amnesia pub in Jubilee Hills following a non-alcoholic party.

According to sources, the police were able to recover the destroyed phones shortly after the accused were taken into custody on June 8 but were unable to retrieve the data. Mohammed Sadadduin Malik, the lone major among the six accused, allegedly gave the other accused advice to destroy their mobile phones prior to their arrest.

According to a Forensic Science Laboratory technical expert, the police did not send the destroyed mobile phones for forensic investigations because they knew the data could not be recovered. However, the cops were able to retrieve short clips of the videos in which the accused was not seen forcing the victim.

About the video clips that were aired by BJP MLA M. Raghunandan Rao, sources said the accused had uploaded videos and images of the assault on social media. These clips were taken down by the police.

According to the Juvenile Justice Act, a minor in conflict with the law cannot be detained by the police overnight and cannot be kept in the police custody beyond 6 pm. According to sources, the accused had adequate time to destroy the mobile phones in order to erase evidence.

All five juveniles, accused in the case, have been granted conditional bail while the bail plea of key accused Saduddin Malik was rejected by the Telangana High Court. According to sources, the minors discussed how they enjoyed the joyride while in police custody but were afraid of their parents after being released on conditional bail.