Woman accused of sending girl to cop pleads innocence

Refuting all charges levelled against Shanta Gaikwad, who is accused of sending a 15-year-old girl to deceased police officer Arun Borude who had allegedly raped her, pleaded not guilty last week stating she was ready to face trial.

Refuting all charges levelled against Shanta Gaikwad, who is accused of sending a 15-year-old girl to deceased police officer Arun Borude who had allegedly raped her, pleaded not guilty last week stating she was ready to face trial.

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Additional sessions judge VM Mohite, last week, also framed charges against two real estate agents Satyanarayan Gupta and Mohanchand Shyam, who too allegedly raped the victim.

The trio has been charged under Sections 376 (Rape), 201 (destruction of evidence), 109 (abetment), Section 366(A) (inducing a minor girl knowing she will be forced or seduced into illicit intercourse with another person) of the Indian Penal Code, and Sections 4 and 5 of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act.

The trio denied all charges. "Gaikwad, Shyam and Gupta have pleaded innocence and the court will now conduct a trial against them," special public prosecutor Dileep Shah said.

Gaikwad had allegedly induced the minor to indulge in sexual acts, and was arrested by the Powai police on November 2 following the complaint filed by the victim's mother. It was Gaikwad who reportedly first named senior police inspector Arun Borude then attached to LT Marg police station. She, however, did not name the other accused. Later, with the help of Gaikwad's interrogation and on the basis of her call records, the police managed to establish the identity of the two real estate agents. While Gupta was arrested from Chandigarh on November 13, Shyam was arrested on November 14 from Powai.