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UDUPI: Police on Thursday filed a chargesheet against the five accused in the Manipal gang rape case in Karnataka.  There are 92 witnesses in the case.

 Accused Yogesh, Hariprasad and Anand were arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a medical student of Manipal University while Balachandra and Harindra are charged with tampering evidence.

 The court on August 12 had extended the judicial custody of the five accused till August 26. Police received a report from the forensic sciences lab which was essential for the chargesheet last week. The court will verify all documents in the case.

Superintendent of police M B Boralingaiah said the three prime accused have been charged for rape while the two accused of tampering with evidence. The case has a strong footing, he added, as the forensic lab report was in favour of the prosecution.

Yogesh was hospitalized after attempting suicide and was formally arrested on July 11. Hariprasad was arrested on June 27. Anand attempted suicide as well and was arrested on June 30. Balachandra and Harindra were arrested on July 2.

 The victim was discharged from hospital on July 4. The student was allegedly abducted and gang-raped on the night of June 20.

Forensic reports

Forensic reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Bangalore, and Regional FSL, Bangalore, along with other evidence related to the case have been submitted to the court. A top police official said that the three suspects had been booked under Sections 366, 376D, 506 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code; and for offences under Section 201 against the two other accused.

The three suspects — Yogesh, Ananda, and Hariprasad — are lodged in a jail in Shimoga, while the two persons who allegedly tampered with evidence in the case — Balachandra and Harindra — are at the District Sub-Jail in Anjar, about 15 km from Udupi. All the five accused are in judicial custody till Monday.

On June 20, three men kidnapped and gang-raped a medical student of Manipal University. The student, who underwent treatment at Kasturba Hospital, was discharged on July 4.

The police arrested Yogesh, Ananda, and Hariprasad after a search operation on June 27. Balachandra and Harindra were arrested on July 2.