Jammu cops will have to explain, forensics says Anara not in CD

Speaking to The Indian Express from Hyderabad, K P C Gandhi, director of the Forensic Science Laboratory—the CD was sent to the lab on December 19—said that tests had cleared Gupta. ‘‘The J&K police is free to consult anyone for a second opinion but it’s unlikely that the views expressed by another lab on the same CD will be any different.’’

Gandhi said the lab’s opinion was based on extensive tests involving matching of the clip against the features of Anara Gupta, including the nose and a mole, supplied by the police.

That’s a setback for the police and today they preferred to play safe. Director General of Police Gopal Sharma declined to comment: ‘‘It’s important evidence, I can’t say anything when a special team is investigating the matter and the High Court is monitoring the case.’’

But for Gupta’s family, the report couldn’t be better news. Said brother Kumar Sambhav: ‘‘We have been saying that Anara has been framed by the police and the girl featuring in porn CD is someone else’’.

He alleged that his sister was pressured by the police to sign a confessional. Even during her TV interviews in custody, Sambhav said, senior police officials including an SP, sat by her side to ‘‘prevent her from speaking the truth.’’ But why would she be framed? Her family has no answers but sources said it could have been the fallout of a turf war between two agencies in the police department.

In fact, the Anara Gupta case was an off-shoot of a Bank of Baroda case where the Crime Branch arrested another former Miss Jammu Sheetal Nair, among others, in connection with alleged embezzlement. It was during their interrogation, the police claim, that they learnt how some porn CDs were being made and sold involving local women.

While this was being probed by the Crime Branch, the local police seized some CDs. Even before the Crime Branch could verify these, Anara Gupta and her family were picked up early on October 24.

Sambhav alleged that city SP Prabhat Singh assaulted them as well and asked Anara Gupta to ‘‘confess her involvement into the case.’’

He said the police later picked up her two younger brothers, Kumar Sangam and Satya Nimeshi. ‘‘We were kept in illegal confinement and released on November 4 when police formally registered a case against Anara,’’ he added.

Later, following a PIL by a Shiv Sena activist seeking transfer of the case to the CBI, the High Court criticised the way the police had conducted investigations and the matter was transferred to the Crime Branch.

After her release on bail by the court, Gupta and her family members filed a petition in the High Court seeking transfer of the case to the CBI. They also sued the police for Rs 1 crore as damages for ‘‘maligning their reputation,’’ and for illegally detaining them. And action against IGP Vaid, SP (City) Prabhat Singh, SDPO (West) Tanveer Jeelani and SHO Kiran Bala.

Of them, Jeelani has been suspended and Kiran Bala sent to the IGP’s office. SP (Operation) Deepak Slathia, in whose presence reporters were allowed access to Anara Gupta, has also been suspended.

While these officers were not available today, IGP Vaid said: ‘‘Those who investigated the case can say something on it. They were sure about the presence of girl in the CD and that is why they registered a case.’’

Two other accused, Narinder Kohli and Summant Singh, both cable operators, have been released on bail.