Mumbai gangrape accused not missing, still in Thane jail: Cops

One of the accused in the gangrape of a photojournalist at Shakti Mills in Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi area reportedly went missing from Thane jail where he was in custody. However, it was later reported that he had just not been produced in court today. Television channels reported that Siraj ur Rahman is ‘untraceable’ from the Thane Jail. Mumbai Police has claimed that they had handed over Rahman to Thane Jail, but the jail reportedly told a court that Rahman was never an inmate. Thane Jail has submitted a letter to the court saying that Rahman was never present there. [caption id=“attachment_1135261” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The site of the gangrape. Reuters image[/caption] The court has issued directives to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch and to the jail authorities, and has directed the jail superintendent to appear before the court tomorrow. Sources told CNN-IBN channel that Rahman is very much present in the jail, and that the letter submitted to the court was incorrect The 23-year-old photojournalist had been sexually assaulted at the Shakti Mills compound on August 22, while she was carrying out a professional assignment. All five of the accused - Salim Ansari, Vijay Jadhav, Mohammed Kasim alias Kasim Bangali, Siraj and a minor - were arrested within days of the crime and are presently in jail awaiting trial.