Charge Sheet Filed in Record Time of 22 Days in Mavli Rape Case: Accused Watched Porn Movie 23 Times Before the Act

Rajasthan: A charge sheet has been submitted against Kamlesh, also known as Karan Singh Panwar, aged 21, along with his parents Ram Singh and Kishan Kunwar, in relation to the highly publicized Mavli rape and murder case that occurred on March 29th. The incident involved a 9-year-old girl from a poor tribal family in Lopda village of Mavli block, Udaipur, who was subjected to brutal rape and murder, followed by dismemberment of her body into 10 pieces and concealment in a cordoned structure. The Mavli police submitted the charge sheet before the POCSO-2 court finally , after two earlier rejections due to court directions that adviced against hastiness and suggested extra caution in the completion of the charge sheet to ensure that the accused are subject to the severest of penalties during trial proceedings.

The 306- page charge sheet against Kamlesh and his parents are based on the statements of nearly 48 witnesses, forensic science reports, medical reports and digital evidences, police said.

The accused have been charged under IPC sections 376 (punishment for rape), 302 (murder) 363 , 366A , 342 , 302 , 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 202 along with various provisions under the POCSO, Juvenile Justice Act, Arms Act and ST/SC Acts. The presiding judge Ashwini Kumar Yadav slated the next hearing for May 6 when the court would take the cognizance in the case.

Gory details of the crime

The recently submitted charge sheet elaborates on the heinous nature of the crime committed by the accused persons. It reveals that Kamlesh had previously worked as a butcher in Mumbai, which made the grotesque task of dissecting the child's body into ten pieces easier after mercilessly raping her. He utilized sharp-edged stones and a kitchen knife to carry out the abominable act.

Along with the primary accused, Kamlesh, who has been charged for rape and murder, the Investigation Officer DySP Kailash Kunwar Rathore has filed charges against his parents, Ram Singh and Kishan Kunwar. They have been accused of aiding Kamlesh in disposing of the victim's body, misleading the police during the investigation, and causing the loss of evidence. The three of them have been charged under sections 3 (2) (b) (a) of SC & ST Act, 84 of the JJ Act, 4/25 of the Arms Act, and 5 (M)/6 of the POCSO Act.

Outpouring emotions & court's directions

It is noteworthy that soon after the arrest of the accused persons, the Udaipur police had committed to submitting the charge sheet within the span of 10 days. There was an outpouring of agitation and commotion from diverse Adivasi organizations, communities, political parties, media, and the public, who had expressed their strong condemnation of the unspeakable crime committed against the innocent 9-year-old tribal girl.

Moreover, the police had endeavored to submit the charge sheet before the court on two previous occasions. However, both times the court returned the document that lacked significant reports that would stand as evidence during the trial proceedings. The court had directed the police to exercise caution and care in the completion of the charge sheet, so as to ensure that the accused persons face the harshest possible punishment.

Horrifying sequence

The charge sheet reveals the horrific sequence of events that transpired on that fateful day. Kamlesh, who was the neighbor of the victim, took her to his home without seeking her parents' permission. He then proceeded to gag her with a handkerchief to prevent her from crying out and brutally raped her. The child suffocated as Kamlesh covered her face, making it difficult for her to breathe, and ultimately died. However, Kamlesh did not stop there; instead, he continued to rape the lifeless body of the child. Such appalling and gruesome details of the crime have instilled a sense of disgust and sent a chill down the spine of not only the victim's family members but also the police personnel who have been tasked with investigating the matter for the past three weeks. The heinous nature of the crime committed by the accused has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on everyone who has been following the case.

According to the police report presented in the charge sheet, the accused was allegedly addicted to watching pornographic movies on his mobile phone. The report further notes that on March 26, just three days prior to the heinous crime, the accused had allegedly watched a pornographic movie at least 22 times. On the fateful day of March 29, before he took the victim to his house, the accused had purportedly watched a pornographic movie 23 times, repeatedly viewing it in a loop. These details once again highlight how depraved and disturbed the accused's mind was, and how it may have played a role in the heinous crime he committed.

As per the chargesheet, Kamlesh has confessed to the crime and provided the police with details of the incident. After he had dismembered the victim's body, he had reportedly packed it in two plastic bags and hid it behind a box in one of the rooms in his house. On April 1, he and his mother had allegedly dumped the plastic bags inside an abandoned, dilapidated structure merely a few meters away from their home.His father stood guarding outside their home to ensure no one was watching. What makes this crime even more abhorrent is the callous and inhumane manner in which the accused and his family members disposed of the victim's body, showing a complete disregard for the sanctity of human life.

Despite repeated attempts by The Mooknayak to reach the investigating officer for more insight into the investigation and the chargesheet filed, the officer did not respond to the calls.

The unfortunate event

The body of a young 9 year old girl who had gone missing on March 29, was found dismembered and dumped in plastic bags in an abandoned structure near a temple in Lopda village, Udaipur on April 1. Kamlesh Rajput, the accused and her neighbour, was arrested on April 2 for her rape and murder, with his parents being arrested later for aiding in disposing of the body. Kamlesh had allegedly developed an addiction to mobile pornography, which fuelled his sexual appetites and led to him attacking the young girl. The accused attended religious functions and acted normal following the crime until his eventual confession. The accused and his parents maintained their innocence during the police investigation, but later confessed to their crime. The investigating charge was assigned to higher ranking officer i.e. Deputy SP Kailash Kunwar, given that the victim belonged to the ST community.