Hyderabad: The police failed to prove the rape charges filed against the nine-member snake gang as the victim changed her allegations in court. Sources said the victim was reluctant to testify that she was raped.
The court dismissed the rape charges, but convicted eight members of the gang including leader Faisal Dayani for sexual assault, dacoity and other charges. The court acquitted Salam Hadi, who was accused of helping the gang to escape.
The gang which was known for attacking couples who visited farmhouses in Pahadishareef came to light after one of the victims approached the police after she was allegedly raped by eight men in the presence of her fiance. The court reserved the judgement for Wednesday.
Faisal Dayani, a gym instructor, Khader Barakba, Tayyab Basalama, Mohammed Parvez, Sayyad Anwar, Khaja Ahmed, Mohammed Ibrahim and Ali Barakba were charged initially with gangrape. Salam Ali was charged with harbouring an offender and accepting stolen property.
In August 2014 police arrested the gang, after the 18-year-old girl alleged that she was sexually assaulted by them at a farmhouse in Shaheen Nagar on July 31, 2014.
Police found the gang which came to Shaheen Nagar for horse riding, saw the victim and her fiance entering the farmhouse and followed them. They also had a snake with them. They forced the victim to strip by threatening to set the snake on her and then allegedly raped her.
The act was filmed by the gang on their mobiles and they threatened to upload the clips on social media if she revealed the incident, police said.
