The Mumbai police Saturday held the second accused in the gangrape of a 22-year-old photojournalist in the city. Vijay Jadhav, 18, had reportedly watched two pornographic movies and was dozing off through the third at a friend?s video parlour in Madanpura at 2.30 am when Crime Branch officers arrested him.
Jadhav?s presence at Shakti Mills Compound, the scene of the crime, has been confirmed by phone records. Three of the accused continue to be at large. Jadhav was produced at Bhoiwada Magistrate Court and, along with the other accused held in the case, sent to police custody till August 30.
According to police, Jadhav, who lives Dombivili, had been hiding in the Madanpura video parlour since Thursday night, after the rape. He was reportedly wearing the same jeans and shirt as at the time of the rape.
Jadhav, who had switched off his mobile phone, was traced as he put it on for a few minutes Friday night. Jadhav has reportedly said he switched on the phone to check if there were any messages or missed calls from alleged accomplices in the gangrape.
?We traced his mobile location and with the help of informers zeroed in on him. However, when we reached the video parlour we found he had destroyed his SIM card,? said an officer.
Officials added that while Jadhav initially denied his role in the gangrape, saying he had only tied up the victim?s male colleague, he broke down soon and confessed it.
According to police, Jadhav was addicted to porn as well as charas. His friends and he would reportedly regularly visit the red light area in Kamathipura. Assistant prosecutor Nand Giri sought maximum police custody, calling the two accused ?dangerous? criminals.
