Delhi girl who faked acid attack, family members being quizzed by Delhi police

NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old college student, who allegedly staged an acid attack on herself at the behest of her father to avenge a rape and a 2018 acid attack case filed against him, is being interrogated, Delhi Police officials said on Tuesday.

Her father, uncle and brother are also being questioned, they said.

The woman, a second-year BCom student enrolled with DU's Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board, had claimed that three men hurled acid on her near Ashok Vihar while she was on her way to an extra class on Sunday.

She identified the three accused as Jitender and his associates. The associates she named are brothers, and it later turned out to be her kin.

However, the police neither found any trace of acid at the spot nor was there any sighting of the attackers in CCTV footage.

The Forensic Science Laboratory team also failed to find any discarded acid bottles in the area, and the probe revealed that the student had poured toilet cleaner on her own hand to frame the accused, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said they thoroughly investigated the acid attack incident reported in the Ashok Vihar area, and it was found that the student's father, Akil Khan, and uncle, Vakeel Khan, had conspired to stage the attack.

"They attempted to falsely implicate Jitender and the two others in the case," he said.

"The student's brother, Yunus, dropped her at Ashok Vihar on a scooter. She then took an e-rickshaw and deboarded 300 meters from the main gate of her college. This raised suspicion among the investigators," said the DCP, adding the brother did not join the investigation.

Yunus was later detained by police and is being questioned in the matter.

Akil Khan was arrested on Monday for allegedly fabricating the acid attack to avenge a rape complaint filed against him by the wife of Jitender and an acid attack case filed in 2018 in Mangolpuri by the mother of the two brothers who were named as accused by the student.

In a statement, police said that Jitender's wife had earlier accused Akil Khan of rape. The matter was reported at the Bhalswa Dairy Police Station, but no written complaint was filed.

The woman alleged that between 2021 and 2024, she worked in Akil Khan's socks factory, where Khan sexually assaulted her and blackmailed her with her private photos and videos.

The two brothers, who were named as accused by the student in the false acid attack, and their mother were in Agra, and they joined the investigation last evening, police said.

"So far, we have learned that the entire family is behind the conspiracy. A team that includes senior officers is questioning the student to know the reason behind faking the attack," the officer added.

He further said that it is clear that Jitender did not carry out the acid attack.

"Our investigation has revealed that he lives in Mukundpur and works as a painter. On the day of the incident, he was working in Karol Bagh, which has been confirmed through CCTV footage and his location details.

"During questioning, he explained the sequence of events, which established that he was not involved in the attack," the DCP added.

The officer said strict action will be taken against those guilty in the entire matter, and charges will be framed in the case accordingly.

Relevant sections of the BNS, including sections 217 (false information, with intent to cause a public servant to use his lawful power to injure another person) and 61 (criminal conspiracy), will also be added as the investigation advances, an officer privy to the investigation told PTI.

"We have already formed multiple teams who are working round the clock to trace every detail of the incident. Our teams are also tracing from where the family members or the girl purchased the toilet cleaner," said the DCP