Beijing gang rape case sent back to police for clarification

The gang rape case involving Li Tianyi is reported to have been returned by the prosecutor's office to the police for supplementary investigation due to a complication.

Li, 17, son of two famous military singers, Li Shuangjiang and Meng Ge, was detained in February with four other accomplices for allegedly gang raping a woman in Beijing.

The additional investigation, demanded by the Haidian district prosecutor's office, aims to clarify some details, while the main evidence chain is not questioned, the Beijing Times reported on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the only adult suspect involved in the case, a 23-year-old Beijing resident surnamed Wang, has also been identified. Wang works for a tourism company.

"During the investigation, the personal information of suspects, no matter adult or minor, should not be revealed in accordance with the rules to ensure the secrecy of the investigation," Qu Xinjiu, a professor with the China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times.

This came after the Beijing public security bureau denied rumors Monday that the four unnamed suspects have strong family backgrounds, adding that disseminators of the fake information would face legal liability for disturbing social order.

Beijing police told people.com.cn that the case will not be heard publicly as the personal information of the four minor suspects that may lead to identification is not be allowed to be made public according to the law.

Li's lawyer, Xue Zhenyuan, has just resigned from the case, while the identity of Li's new attorney is still unknown.

All five are in detention pending trial.