The Telangana police have filed a chargesheet against Aslam, a cab driver from Yakutpura, for allegedly raping a 25-year-old German tourist on March 31 in Mamidipally, under the Pahadishareef police jurisdiction.
The survivor, who was visiting the city on holiday, was reportedly assaulted in a secluded area. She managed to escape by jumping out of the vehicle and informed a friend who was also in Hyderabad. A complaint was promptly lodged, and police arrested Aslam within four hours of the incident. A case was registered under Section 64(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Confirming the chargesheet filing, Maheshwaram DCP Sunitha Reddy told Deccan Chronicle, “We have appealed to the principal home secretary to allow the survivor to testify via video conferencing, as it would prevent the trauma of returning to India.”
Additionally, authorities have requested that the case be moved to a fast-track court to ensure a swift trial and conviction.
In similar past cases, Indian courts have allowed remote testimonies for foreign nationals. In 2023, the Delhi High Court permitted a US citizen and gangrape survivor to testify through two-way video conferencing, affirming that it upheld the accused’s right to a fair trial while minimizing the survivor’s trauma.
