Two more men involved in Anjali death case, say Delhi Police

New Delhi, January 5, 2023

The Delhi Police on Thursday said that two more men were involved in the death of 20-year-old Anjali, who was hit and dragged by a car for about 12 km in the early hours of January 1.

Police said that both the accused, Ashutosh and Ankush Khanna, were absconding and police teams were searching for them.

Addressing a press conference here, Sagar Preet Hooda, the Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), said that, during the interrogation of the five accused, several contradictions were found. It was also detected that two more men were also involved.

The police have arrested five persons, who were in the car when the incident took place. They have been identified as Deepak Khanna, Amit Khanna, Krishan, Mitthu and Manoj Mittal.

According to the FIR, the incident occurred at around 2 a.m. on Sunday. Two of the five accused persons, Deepak Khanna and Amit Khanna, had taken the car from their friend Ashutosh at around 7 p.m. on Saturday (December 31).

However, the Special CP said that Amit was the one who had borrowed the car from Ashutosh.

"Ankush Khanna is the brother of Amit, and Amit was driving the car at the time of incident. Ankush and Ashutosh both have tampered with the evidence. Ankush, to save his brother, had asked Deepak to tell police that he was driving the car," said the Special CP.

Meanwhile, the family of the 20-year-old girl, are demanding that charges under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) be added against the five accused and also that her friend, Nidhi, who was with her on that fateful night, be booked under Section 304 (culpable homicide).

Rekha, the mother of Anjali along with her relative met the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sultanpuri police station and made these demands.

"They have killed my daughter and they should be punished for what they did and murder section should be added to the FIR," said Rekha.

"Nidhi knew everything and was with her at the time of incident and she did not inform family and police, which makes her part of the crime. She tried to defame her friend," said Bhupinder Chaurasia, a family member of Anjali.

However, police have recorded Nidhi's statement under section 164 of CrPC and she is the key witness of the incident.

The police have arrested five persons, who were in the car when the incident took place. They have been identified as Deepak Khanna, Amit Khanna, Krishan, Mitthu and Manoj Mittal.

Amit (25) works with SBI Cards in Uttam Nagar, Krishan (27) works at the Spanish Culture Centre, Mithun (26) is a hairdresser at Naraina, while Manoj Mittal (27) is a ration dealer in Sultanpuri who is also a BJP worker.

The FIR has been registered under Sections 304-A (causing death by negligence) and 279 (rash driving) of the Indian Penal Code. Later, following protest by the victim's family members, the police added IPC Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) at Sultanpuri police station.

IANS