4 held, including 2 minors, for gangraping 14-yr-old in Kandivali

The two minors were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to the observation home in Dongri. The other two accused, aged 18 and 22, were remanded in police custody till Monday by a special court in Dindoshi

MUMBAI: Four persons, including two 17-year-olds, were arrested for allegedly gangraping a 14-year-old girl in Kandivali on two occasions this month by threatening to leak a video of her bathing that they claimed to have.

4 held, including 2 minors, for gangraping 14-yr-old in Kandivali

The two minors were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to the observation home in Dongri. The other two accused, aged 18 and 22, were remanded in police custody till Monday by a special court in Dindoshi.

The case came to light on Wednesday. Police said one of the minors, an acquaintance who lives in the girl’s neighbourhood, approached her around 6pm on November 6 and claimed he had a video of her bathing. He threatened to post it on social media if she did not go with him to a secluded spot. Frightened, she went, and he and three others allegedly took turns to rape her.

The accused then warned her not to tell anyone, threatening to circulate the videos, and sent her home. Later, on November 10, one of them messaged her on Snapchat, again threatened to leak the videos and asked her to come to their place. Fearing humiliation, she went, and two of the accused allegedly raped her again.

Over the course of five days, the four accused repeatedly coerced her into sexual acts against her wil, while threatening to ruin her reputation by circulating obscene videos of her on social media.

The girl eventually approached the police. A case was registered under sections 64(2)(i), 64(2)(m), 70(2), 351(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 4, 6 and 10 of the POCSO Act, 2012. The police then launched a search and took all four into custody from different locations. During questioning, they allegedly confessed to the assaults.