EXPLAINED: What we know so far about the Delhi Sultanpuri horrific case

It was the early hours of New Year's day. The world was soaked in fireworks but the sound of Delhi Sultanpuri horror was more deafening to those who witnessed the horrid incident. A 20-year-old woman riding her scooter was hit by a grey Baleno car. Unfortunately, she got stuck under the car and could not untangle herself. According to the victim's friend, Nidhi, the woman was shouting for help, help she never really got.

The victim, as per some reports, was dragged for about 12 kilometres from Sultanpuri to Kanjhawala following the collision between her scooty and the car, which the police discovered later. During interrogation, the five men who were inside the car, under which the victim was stuck and lost her life, were arrested. They told police they had consumed alcohol while driving to Murthal (in the Sonipat district of the Indian state of Haryana) and back. The men said that they were unaware of someone being stuck under their vehicle.

Multiple CCTV footage of the incident has surfaced since the tragic incident. The major breakthrough in the case was when the police were able to trace the victim's friend Nidhi who was riding pillion with her. She said she was scared to say anything after the incident and just wanted to go back home safely after the gruesome happening that dark night.Rohit, the man who first alerted the police on New Year said he thought it was a dog or child that was caught underthe carand was getting dragged.

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The forensic report stated that victim suffered 40 injuries on her body while Nidhi survived with few minor injuries. The report revealed that traces of blood were found on the wheels and the base of the car. This confirmed that Anjali was indeed stuck beneath the car. It also stated that she was dragged from Sultanpuri to Kanjhawala, and sustained as many as 40 injuries with her ‘brain matter’ missing.

The fiveaccused in the case were produced in Rohini court through video conferencingdue to security reasons, as per reports. Police booked the five men for culpable homicide among other sections. A Delhi court on Thursday sent the five accused to four-day police custody. The accused men are Amit Khanna (25), Deepak Khanna (26), Mithun (26), Krishan (27) and Manoj Mittal (27).

Dissenting voices

Anjali's family refuted claims that Anjali was in ‘drunken state’ while she was riding the scooter. The mother of the 20-year-old daughter and a bread earner for the family called these reports “untrue” allegations. Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) chief told ANI news agency, “I'm not satisfied with Delhi Police's action. I recommend that this case be transferred to CBI. Delhi Police told us they've not recovered Nidhi's phone till now. It's very important evidence, beyond my understanding why is it not with the police till now?”

Police ruled out any link between victim and accused men

Special CP (L&O) Sagar Preet Hooda said on Thursday at a press conference that no link has been found between the five accused arrested so far and the victim. He, however, said that the men were aware of a human body under the car. “We are exploring legal process to take this case to a fast-track court,” he added. Anjali's friend ‘Nidhi’ earlier said that after her foot got trapped under the car but the men “continued to drive”.

Nidhi is a prime witness in the case. She revealed that she and the victim had an argument since she did not want the victim to ride the scooty. Police investigation so far has revealed that the two women attended a New Year's Eve party at a hotel and left the venue after midnight.