Rape, revenge and a staged 'acid' attack: How Delhi cops exposed a father-daughter conspiracy

A dramatic turn of events unfolded in Delhi after what appeared to be an acid attack near Laxmi Bai College was found to be a staged incident. Police investigations revealed that a 20-year-old Delhi University student and her father conspired to falsely accuse three men in a bid to divert attention from a rape and blackmail case filed against the father. The case initially began when the woman claimed that unknown assailants on a bike hurled acid at her on Sunday (October 26).

However, CCTV footage from the area contradicted her statement, showing that no such attack took place. Investigators discovered glaring inconsistencies in her version of events, prompting a deeper probe. According to police, the woman used toilet cleaner from her home to inflict minor injuries on herself, staging the supposed assault. The man accused of attacking her—a painter by profession—voluntarily approached the police to clear his name. “Phone records, CCTV footage, and witness accounts confirmed that the alleged accused was nowhere near the scene,” DCP (Northwest) Bhisham Singh was quoted as saying.

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The revelation led police to uncover a revenge plot. Just two days before the fabricated incident, the wife of the man accused in the acid attack case had filed a rape and blackmail complaint against the woman’s father, Aqeel Khan. She alleged that Khan, her former employer, had sexually assaulted her multiple times between 2021 and 2024 and threatened her using private photos and videos.

Father arrested, daughter faces action

When summoned for questioning in the rape case, Khan avoided appearing in person and sent his lawyer and an Islamic cleric instead. He was eventually traced to Sangam Vihar and arrested on Monday (October 27) night. Meanwhile, the other two men named in the acid attack FIR were proven to be in Agra with their mother during the alleged time of the attack.

CCTV evidence further discredited the woman’s claims. Footage showed her travelling with her brother on a two-wheeler before boarding an e-rickshaw in Ashok Vihar—none of the accused were seen anywhere nearby. Police are also investigating the role of her brother, who has since gone missing and is not cooperating with the inquiry.

Special CP (Law & Order) Ravindra Singh Yadav confirmed that the father-daughter duo orchestrated the incident to save Khan from the rape case and to falsely implicate his rivals. “This was a planned conspiracy to mislead police and frame innocent people,” he was quoted as saying. Aqeel Khan has now been arrested on charges of rape, sexual harassment, and blackmail, while his daughter faces action for filing a false complaint and misleading investigators.