BANGALORE: The report of the DNA test on the remains of a woman call centre employee murdered here in December is inconclusive with regard to the charge of rape by the accused, Shivakumar.

The DNA test was done at the Centre for DNA Fingerprints and Diagnostics, Hyderabad, and the report has been submitted to the Bangalore city police.

The report says there is no physical evidence to show that the victim, Prathiba Murthy, was molested by the accused.

Bangalore Police Commissioner Ajai Kumar Singh said this did not rule out that the victim had been raped.

"Four days had elapsed between the murder and the body being subjected to autopsy here when samples were removed for DNA testing. There is the possibility of physical evidence having deteriorated during this interval," he said.

To discuss with doctors

The Commissioner said he would discuss the matter with the doctors who did the autopsy here and seek their opinion. The autopsy report had not ruled out the possibility of rape.

The accused had also confessed to having sexually molested the victim before murdering her, but this was not evidence admissible in a court, he said.

"Based on circumstantial evidence we have framed charges of sexual molestation and murder against Shivakumar. We went for DNA testing as it was possible and could have provided valuable evidence," Mr. Singh explained.

"If the DNA test report had been positive, it would have resulted in a stronger case against the accused. The latest development will be discussed with the investigating officer and the Deputy Director of Prosecutions before planning further action," he said.

Body found in ditch

It was in the early hours of December 13 that Prathiba Murthy (28) who was working in a leading call centre in Electronics City here, was kidnapped and murdered on the outskirts of Bangalore.

The police found the putrefied body of the woman in a ditch in a desolate area in Anjanapura New Layout on Kanakapura Road in Thalghatpura police station limits four days later.

The body was traced on the basis of information provided by Shivakumar, the accused in whose car Prathiba was travelling.

This incident led the Labour Department to enforce Section 25 of Karnataka State Shops and Commercial Establishments Act and ask companies to provide better security for transporting women employees to offices and back.

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