Maharashtra: Two Men Who Raped Teenage Girl By Posing As Cops Held

Police have arrested two persons for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl by posing as policemen near Thakurli railway station in Thane district of Maharashtra, an official said on Sunday. The incident had occurred on Friday afternoon and the accused had video-recorded their act to threaten the victim, he said.

One of the arrested man is a habitual offender, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Dombivli) Sunil Kurhade told reporters. "The victim had gone for a stroll along with her boyfriend when they were stopped by the duo posing as policemen. One of them took the girl to an isolated place close to a creek and near the Thakurli railway station, where he raped her. His partner also sexually assaulted the minor later," he said.

"One of the accused also video-graphed the act and threatened the girl that if she revealed it to anyone he would make the video viral on social media to defame her," the official said. Based on the complaint by the victim, an offence was registered at Vishnunagar police station in Dombivli under sections 376 (D) (gangrape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and also under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act.

"Since it was a sensitive case, the police formed five teams to probe it. Based on the intelligence and inputs and location details, the two accused were arrested," Kurhade said. While one of the accused, 25, is a labourer, the second one a tea-stall owner aged 32. They were arrested from Kalyan and Dombivli in the district respectively, the police said. The labourer is a history-sheeter, who has at least two offences registered against him at Vishnunagar police station relating to house trespass and theft. He is out on bail in those cases, they said.