Sifting the truth: Woman accuses MP of shielding rape suspects

MP insists no such incident took place but promises to investigate the issue.

HYDERABAD:

Members of a family staged a two-hour protest in Chacharo against Pakistan Peoples Party’s minorities representative Mahesh Malani for allegedly shielding suspects implicated in a gang rape case.

M*, a mother of two, was allegedly raped by five men in Pabrayion near the Chacharo taluka in Tharparkar district.

According to her family, the victim was travelling with her husband and children to Umerkot on Wednesday when five armed men intercepted them. They kidnapped the family and shifted them to a different place where Moutan was allegedly raped for five hours by eight men.

Though the family does not blame Malani for the heinous crime they are furious that the legislator is hindering the process of justice. “Malani is trying to save Kalu, Hero and three others who are nominated in the FIR,” said the woman’s husband T*.

Malani claims that as far as he knows, no such incident took place. “I will personally go to the village to investigate the matter,” he told The Express Tribune. He, however, admits that both the woman and her brother were beaten by the accused but not raped.

Malani also denied the family’s accusation that he was protecting the suspects.

Speaking to the media, the victim stated that she will immolate herself if the police failed to provide her justice. “They should be immediately arrested and hanged,” she demanded. Mithi police station’s SHO Abid Qaimkhani said that three close relatives of the suspects were arrested.

Talking to reporters at the police station one of the accused Maluko said that the entire incident was a frame-up. He accused the woman’s family of raping Kalu Bheel’s daughter saying that Kalu has remained silent over the issue. However, a few weeks ago Kalu came to know that a video was made of the rape which was being shared through mobile phones in the village.

He claimed that they had only beaten the woman’s relatives and though the woman herself was roughed up she wasn’t raped.

**Names changed to protect identities.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2013.