NEW DELHI: In a bizarre case of sexual assault, a 68-year-old man allegedly raped a minor girl in north Delhi's Burari area while his son secretly recorded the heinous crime and later sent the video to the victim's father.
The accused, identified as Satbir (father), was arrested by the police and sent to judicial custody. The girl's statement will be recorded under section 164 of the CrPC for which the date has been fixed by the learned judge.
According to a senior Delhi Police official, the incident came to light on June 27 when the police received a PCR call at Burari police station in which the caller stated that his daughter was raped by one of his neighbours.
"The call was attended in urgency and the victim was immediately provided with the services of a women counsellor from the helpline number 181," Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi said.
The minor girl narrated the ordeal and stated that her family knew the accused man as he is a resident of the colony and used to go on religious trips with the family.
"The 68-year-old accused frequented the house of the victim and lured her about two months back into a position of vulnerability and raped her inside his house. The minor survivor was threatened to keep quiet until the son of the accused sent a video of the rape to the victim's father on June 27," the DCP said.
Soon after receiving the alleged video, the family of the minor girl went into shock when they learned about the ordeal of their daughter.
It is after this the girl's father approached the police which then lodged an FIR under section 376 (rape), 506 () and 354 () of the IPC and section 4 of the POCSO Act against the accused and his son.
Victim's ordeal
During counselling, the girl revealed that at times the accused visited her home under one pretext or another. He found opportunities to be alone with the girl and used to grope her. He used his proximity to send lewd gestures to her.
"Between April 20-30, the accused called the girl to his house when she was on the street. He took her to a secluded corner and then forced himself upon her to rape her," the official said.
The girl remained in fear for two months and opened up only when the video was seen by her father.
Cops probe
DCP Kalsi said that the accused and his son have been interrogated and the accused has been sent to judicial custody.
"Evidence is being collected to take action against the son for transmitting a video of the rape as narrated by the girl. Mobile phones used for sending and receiving the videos have now been taken into possession and examined to prove the culpability of the son of the accused," he said.
Relevant sections of the IT Act and IPC are being invoked as the evidence comes on record, he added.
Rape survivor's family being intimidated
It was not just the accused, but some local people of Burari area, who sympathized with the accused, tried to intervene without permission and sent veiled threatening signals through a man named Narender.
"They too have been booked and a separate case of criminal intimidation and assault has been registered against him for interfering in the matter connected to the minor girl and her family," the senior official informed.
Kalsi said that this action has sent a strong message in the locality to leave the family in peace and the ones with sinister motives will face legal action on merits.