With filing of two more complaints of sexual exploitation, Mahila Police has slapped fresh charges against the instructor of Vocational Rehabilitation Centre (VRC) for Handicapped who was arrested on Saturday night for raping a deaf and dumb tribal girl.
Dhiraj Srivastava, the accused, was arrested from a lodge in Baramunda of the City. During the raid, police had found him with another girl (not belonging to VRC) who has now charged him with sexual exploitation.
Similarly, a friend of the victim, the deaf and dumb girl from Mayurbhanj, also told police that Srivastava had made advances towards her many times in the past and tried to molest her. She too is undergoing vocational training at the VRC.
Basing on their statements, the police have tagged their complaints along with the original FIR. “We have registered one case and the two new complaints have been tagged with it,” Inspector In Charge Sarojini Nayak said.
Srivastava now faces charges under Section 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (outraging modesty) and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code as well as the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013.
The police on Sunday searched the room occupied by Srivastava and seized the articles including bedsheets to secure forensic evidence against the accused.
On Saturday, the matter had come to light when the deaf and dumb girl had alleged rape by the instructor. The incident had occurred on August 7, she had said. Srivastava had allegedly taken the girl to the same lodge - from where he was arrested - to commit the offence. She had fallen sick and approached Srivastava who took advantage of it. The victim had completed one-year vocational course in radio and TV repairing training at VRC.
Meanwhile, the VRC authorities have suspended Srivastava following his arrest. “As per the Government norms, he must be placed under suspension within 48 hours and we have taken the action accordingly,” Assistant Director-in-Charge of VRC RK Sharma said.
In fact, the parents of the victim had come to the City and the VRC officials met them at the Mahila Police Station too.
Srivastava, who was lodged in the lock-up of Infocity Police Station after his arrest was produced before a local court later in the day. Before that, he was taken to Capital Hospital for medical examination.