New Delhi: A 20-year-old Delhi University student claimed on Sunday that she suffered burn injuries while trying to protect her face in an alleged acid attack by a man, who had been stalking her for days and his two accomplices, while she was on her way to attend an extra class.
The incident sparked massive outrage. However, 24 hours later, a major twist emerged. The victim's father, Aqeel Khan who had been on the run, was caught by the Delhi Police and has confessed to fabricating the acid attack story to implicate the three men.
During questioning, Khan made the confession, admitting that he had planned the entire fake acid attack with his daughter to falsely implicate Jitendra, Ishan and Arman. He harboured personal grudges against the three men.
He also revealed that the burn on his daughter's hands was from a toilet cleaner and not any acid. Khan said that his daughter was carrying the toilet cleaner from home, which she poured on her hands.
Reportedly, Khan’s motive stemmed from a sexual harassment and blackmail case filed by Jitendra’s wife against him just two days before the alleged attack. Fearing legal trouble and public humilation, Khan decided to divert attention by fabricating an acid attack case that would frame Jitendra and his associates.
The Delhi Police is set to take legal action under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the woman and her father for orchestrating the fake story.
Thw woman had alleged that Jitendra, had been stalking her, along with his friends Ishan and Arman, hurled acid at her from a motorcycle. The woman said she tried to shield her face and sustained burns on her hands. However, CCTV footage, call data records (CDRs), and eyewitness statements contradicted her claims.
