New Delhi: Severely indicting Gujarat Police for closing the Bilkis Yakoob Rassool gang-rape case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its status report before the Supreme Court said that even the security of the rape victim and the witnesses of the case was under threat.

The CBI, which was complimented by the Court for doing a good job and making "substantial progress" in the case, was granted three months more time by a Bench comprising Justice S Rajendra Babu and Justice G P Mathur to complete its probe.

Bilkis had approached the Court challenging the decision of the Gujarat Police to close the case she had lodged alleging that a mob had killed several of her relatives and raped her despite being pregnant on March 1, 2002 when the State witnessed unprecedented communal riots in the aftermath of the burning of Sabarmati Express.

On the direction of the Court, the CBI had taken up the investigation. The agency in its progress report said that it was inquiring into the role of several police officers connected with the probe of the case and has even arrested the Investigating Officer.

The agency enumerated the lapses on the part of the police in tracing the accused and the bodies and closing the case taking a technical view that there were contradictions in the statements of Bilkis recorded by the police.

Appearing for the victim, senior advocate Harish Salve said the agency has raised serious doubts about the security of Bilkis as well as the witnesses in the case. He said he would move an application seeking protection to the victim and the witnesses by a Central force like CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force).