A minor girl was allegedly raped by nine people, who used to blackmail her using her photos and videos, on separate occasions over a year in suburban Vile Parle and six of them have been arrested, police said on Monday.
While the 15-year-old victim resides in the Subash road area, the nine accused, aged 20-30 years, live in localities nearby, a senior police official said.
Hindustan Times reports that on Sunday the accused were produced in front of a sessions court, which remanded them in police custody till 12 February.
A year ago, one of the accused raped the victim and took some pictures and videos of the girl.A Senior Police Official
According to Hindustan Times, the series of rapes began when the prime accused, who was known to the victim, took her to his house to show her a pornographic video, following which he forced himself on her. His friend, another accused, secretly recorded the act, and using the video to blackmail her, he raped her as well.
The report adds that the video was then circulated among the rest of the accused, who used it to blackmail and rape her as well.
All the nine accused have raped her. Some raped her twice, some thrice.A police officer to Hindustan Times
A Hindu report says the rapes took place in several places in Vile Parle including public toilets and bushes.
According to The Times of India, one of the accused includes a certain Ritesh Dhuri who claims to be an office bearer of a political party. However, Parag Alavani, BJP MLA from Vile Parle told Hindustan Times that the boy did not hold any post in the party and only his mother was a candidate during the civic elections held last year.
“She has not asked for any intervention in the case, and we can’t even think of it. The boy does not hold any post in the party,” she said.
The matter came to light on Sunday after the victim narrated the ordeal to her mother, following which a complaint was registered at the Vile Parle police station.
The Hindustan Times report mentions that her girl’s health had been deteriorating in the two weeks prior to this, and her mother had noticed serious changes in her behaviour.
She is mentally unstable. On Monday, she will be subjected to multiple medical tests. Five policewomen will be with her. We are also trying to get a good counsellor for her. We will produce her before the Child Welfare Committee on Monday, which will decide if she should continue living with her parents.A police officer told Hindustan Times
A case under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered, an officer said.
"We acted swiftly and apprehended six of the accused last night, while efforts are on to nab the remaining three," he added.
He also mentioned that the videos of the victim made by one of the accused were yet to be recovered.
(With inputs from PTI, Hindustan Times, Times of India and The Hindu)
(This copy has been updated with details)
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