Mumbai: 4 months after plaint, cops arrest father for molesting daughters

Action was only taken on Friday, even though the sisters had on two previous occasions complained to the police, who 'found the allegations hard to believe'.

A man has been arrested for allegedly molesting his three daughters, one of whom is a minor, over the past 10 months. Action was only taken on Friday, even though the sisters had on two previous occasions complained to the police, who “found the allegations hard to believe”.

According to the Meghwadi police, the accused is a used car salesman and lives in Jogeshwari (East) with his second wife. His wife – the mother of the sisters – passed away in February this year.

The sisters told the police that since their mother’s death, their father would often touch them inappropriately and hit them over petty issues. The sisters ran away from home in October and were found on the railway tracks by a woman who gave them shelter.

The eldest daughter told HT she had approached the police in August and in September and filed a non-cognisable complaint, but the police did not take further action. The sisters met Prashant Holkar, deputy commissioner of police, zone X, on Friday, following which a case was registered and the accused was arrested.

An officer from the police station confirmed the eldest girl had approached them in the past.

“They had come with the complaint but we were skeptical about the allegations. It was hard to believe a father could molest his daughters,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.

Holkar said the girls did not tell him about their previous complaints. “They came to me and after hearing their account, I asked the senior inspector to look into the matter as it was worth investigating,” Holkar told HT.

Santosh Bhandare, senior inspector at Meghwadi police station said, “We have registered a case of molestation and assault against the girls’ father and he has been arrested. The girls have also named two men, who are friends of the main accused. They are wanted and we are on their lookout.”