NEW DELHI: “It was a make or break case. We had to pull up our socks and rise to occasion. ‘Arrest the culprits’ was the first thing then DCP Chhaya Sharma told me,” said the then Station House Officer (SHO) Vasant Vihar Police station Anil Sharma. The police officer led the team that investigated the sensational gang rape and murder of the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern.
Sharma was a much relieved man on Friday. “The girl was innocent, and her life was not meant to end like that. She was a brave girl who even after being brutally attacked, gave statement and fought till her last breath,” he recollected. Sharma, who is now SHO of Rajouri Garden police station, was the first police personnel to reach the crime spot. He had then filed the FIR in the case.
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Entrusted with the responsibility to investigate the most sensational case of that time, Sharma’s each move was being monitored by everyone — the government, his seniors, media, and even his family and friends. As Investigation Officer (IO), he along with his colleagues from other states collected evidence to nail the culprits “There were so many things going on simultaneously.
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The Delhi Police reputation was at stake. It was very hard to collect evidence. During interrogation, one of the convicts came up with a train ticket to prove he was in Bihar. But we gathered everything, something that the court appreciated the Delhi Police for its efforts. It was not possible (to crack the case) without my fellow colleagues and seniors,” he said. Sharma lost his brother and father during trial but worked till cracking the case.
When asked why it took so long to execute the criminals, he said, “It’s a criminal jurist prudence system. All the legal recourse was exhausted midnight yesterday. It takes time but justice will never be denied by
the law.” “This time, it was clear (the end). We knew that they will be hanged to death. There was no chance to escape from the noose this time.”