Mumbai gang rape case will be fast tracked, says Prithviraj Chavan

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Sunday said that the trial of the Mumbai gang rape case of a 23-year-old photojournalist will be fast tracked, and added he hopes that justice will be handed in the toughest and swiftest manner.

"All five of the accused have been arrested in connection with the incident which occurred in Mumbai. This case will be fast tracked. ...We want that the legal judicial procedure to be completed quickly and these perpetrators are handed harsh punishments," Chavan said.

On Friday, Chavan had visited the Jaslok Hospital, where the female victim is undergoing treatment and assured the family that extreme precaution would be taken to ensure that the victim's identity was not revealed.

The Mumbai Police has nabbed all five accused, four of which have been sent to police custody till August 30.

According to the police, the main accused, Salim Ansari, 27, managed to escape to the national capital but was brought back to Mumbai today.

Ansari was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch from Delhi today. After his arrest from the Ashok Vihar area of the national capital, the accused was produced before a court in Rohini to seek his transit remand to be transported to Mumbai.

Earlier on Sunday, the Mumbai Police announced the arrest of the fourth accused in the gang-rape case.

The accused, Kasim Bangali, was the oldest of the five accused and was the one who sexually assaulted the victim twice.

The second accused, Vijay Jadhav, was picked up in the wee hours of Saturday from Madanpura area by the Crime branch. The third accused was also arrested on Saturday.

On Friday, an unemployed youth from south Mumbai identified as Chand Shaikh was arrested in the case. He was produced before a local court on Saturday, and has been ordered to remain in custody until August 30.

The incident took place on August 22 in Lower Parel area where the 23-year-old woman had gone for an assignment.

She was working with an English Magazine as an intern. According to police, the men tied up the friend who was accompanying her and raped the woman.

The victim, who was admitted to Jaslok Hospital, had sustained multiple internal injuries. She is stated to be in a stable condition now.

The Centre has sought a detailed report on the gang rape incident.