Dad’s friend rapes girl since ’18, uses threats to silence her
Times of India | 14 March 2025
Kolkata: A 46-year-old trader has been arrested for allegedly raping a 22-year-old woman since 2018, when she was barely 15 years old, and filming the acts to threaten and blackmail her. Recently, when the survivor's parents got to know about the incident, the accused threatened and abused them as well.
The accused, said police, was the survivor's father's closest friend, giving him easy access to the girl's home.
She finally revealed to her parents the torment she had been going through for seven years after learning that the accused was planning to marry her. Cops from the Haridevpur police station promised a a quick charge sheet in this case. Police have formed a special investigation team to ensure a thorough probe.
"The accused named in the FIR committed aggravated penetrative sexual assault on the complainant repeatedly since Sept 2018, when the girl was a minor and not in a position to give her consent. The accused recorded all the photos and videos of the offences and threatened to upload them online if the girl did not heed his commands. After learning about their daughter's torture, when the parents confronted the accused, he threatened them as well. The accused used abusive language with them at his own home and theirs as well," said DC (Behala SWD) Rahul De.
The family approached police on March 3. A case pertaining to rape, voyeurism, criminal intimidation and insulting the modesty of a woman was registered. Multiple Pocso Act sections were added. "We arrested the accused trader from his home on March 10. He has been remanded in police custody till March 18. The survivor's confidential statement has been recorded," said an officer. "The photos and videos that the accused had taken of the survivor have been collected as evidence sent to experts."
The incident led to outrage among neighbours. Several women's rights organisations demanded justice and maximum punishment for the accused.
Police are investigating if there were other victims, too.
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