Hyderabad, July 10: The alleged rape of an American woman in Banjara Hills is giving sleepless nights to the police brass who have so far failed to crack the case even as pressure is building on them from the US Consulate.
Be that as it may, police commissioner A K Khan said giving “undue publicity” to this particular case was not proper as it was an `international’ issue and may affect the city’s reputation.
According to sources in the investigation, nearly 30 suspects have been questioned so far but no progress has been made.
About 10 teams from the local police, the Task Force, Central Crime Station (CCS), Special Branch are working to solve the case. Yesterday, they picked up a relative of the landlord whose flat the woman, a nutritionist with the Clinton Foundation, rented. But he was let off when detectives found he was not involved with the case.
The woman was staying in a penthouse atop a dupleix apartment on Road no. 11, Banjara Hills. After the alleged rape, she has been moved to an undisclosed place by her employer.
The landlord’s family said they are being harassed by policemen with repeated enquiries. “We are having to repeat our version again and again. It has become a headache for us,” said one of them, speaking on condition of anonymity.
One police officer said the victim’s account of the event has been confusing. “Going by her lifestyle, it is likely the offender was someone known to her. She often used to go home late or sometimes in the morning. Sometimes, she was dropped home by friends in a Mercedes or a Scorpio, sometimes on a twowheeler or even an auto,” a source said.
In her complaint, the victim had initially said that the culprit took away Rs 5 lakh but later said it was 600 euros.
—Agencies