Accused produced in court,agrees to test identity parade

Sources said the decision was changed last minute as police felt that delaying the procedure might go in Manoj’s favour. He has reportedly agreed to undergo a test identification parade.

Sources said Manoj told police that Pradip,who stayed in Loni,Ghaziabad,came to his house in East Delhi around 4 pm on April 15. The two,police were told,drank alcohol and watched porn on Manoj’s phone. Manoj claimed that Pradip insisted that he find him a girl,police said.

According to police,Manoj walked out of his home and saw the five-year-old girl. He bought a chocolate and lured the girl to his room,which was on the floor below the girl’s home.

Police said Manoj told them that Pradip stuff cloth in the girl’s mouth and forced himself on her. Manoj denied that he participated in the assault and claimed that he was too scared to do anything to the girl,police said. He blamed the brutal sexual assault on Pradip,police said.

Manoj told police that he was scared that the girl would identify him so he suggested to Pradip that they kill her. The two then tried to strangle her and assuming that she was dead they fled,police were told.

Manoj took the Swatantrata Senani Express to reach his village in Bihar and then went to his in-law’s house in Chiknauta,from where he was arrested.

Several teams are looking for Pradip. Police are treating him as a second suspect.