THANE: All 33 people accused of allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl, several times over a period of 9-months, in the Dombivli area of Maharashtra's Thane district, have been arrested, said police on Monday, September 27, 2021.
"One more accused arrested by the Police. All 33 accused, including two minors, have been arrested. The two minor accused have been sent to Child Correction Home," informed the Maharashtra Police in the statement.
Meanwhile, the rape survivor was discharged from the hospital on September 25.
On the basis of the minor's complaint, police on September 23, registered a case "under sections 376 (Rape), 376 (N), 376 (3), 376 (D) (A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act", against 33 accused.
Earlier police informed that of the 33 accused, two were minors and were sent to a juvenile correctional facility in Bhiwandi after being taken into custody.
Thane Police has constitutes a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter.
In January this year, the victim was allegedly gang-raped by her 'friends' who then filmed the crime which was used to blackmail her and to rape her again.
"The video was then circulated among other friends and acquaintances of the accused, who too used it to blackmail the teen and rape her on multiple occasions," police said.
The case came to light after the victim shared it with her aunt, after which a complaint was filed against the accused.
"The victim knew almost all the attackers," the police said.