Rape survivor being threatened to withdraw complaint
A 36-year-old woman in Mumbai, who filed a rape case, is receiving continuous threats to withdraw the case, including a knife-point incident in an auto.
MUMBAI: A 36-year-old woman, who had filed a rape case against a Bandra-based man, has been getting continuous threats to withdraw the case against the accused. The complainant alleged that she was threatened by an unknown person at knife point when she was travelling in an auto in Ghatkopar.
Earlier, in July, she got a threatening letter, having a dispatch stamp from Dubai, in which an unknown person threatened her to withdraw the case registered against the accused in Bandra police station in April this year.
According to the police, the complainant, who lives in Andheri East, alleged that she was staying at her friend’s place in Bandra in January this year when her friend’s brother allegedly raped her. Her friend, who had allegedly made a video of the act, had started threatening to circulate it. The complainant then approached the Bandra police station on April 15 and the police registered a case against the brother-sister duo. The police arrested the accused while his sister absconded.
The survivor also alleged that on July 16, a letter arrived at her residence in her name, with a dispatch stamp of Dubai, threatening to make her nude photos viral if she refused to withdraw the complaint. The complainant’s picture was also printed on the letter. The complainant then approached the MIDC police station and registered a non-cognizable case.
The latest incident occurred between 8:30pm-9pm on August 3, when she was heading to Ghatkopar in an autorickshaw. Due to heavy traffic and rain, the rickshaw’s speed was very low on LBS Road, when an unknown person barged into the auto. The person sat next to the woman, took out a small knife from his pocket, and threatened the woman with dire consequences if she did not take the case back, said a police officer.
When the complainant screamed for help, the auto driver stopped the auto and asked the man what he was doing inside. The person got off throwing a paper chit towards the complainant. The scared woman went to her friend’s place and discussed with her family, and they all advised her to approach the police station. The complainant went home and read the paper chit in which it was mentioned that she should not appear in the court on August 6 and on August 5. She then approached the Ghatkopar police station and registered a case against an unknown person, said the police officer.