Bhubaneswar: Government officer’s dad-in-law, 85, booked for rape of minor girl
KENDRAPADA: Police on Thursday booked the father-in-law of a senior government officer for allegedly raping and impregnating a minor tribal girl, who used to work as a domestic help in the latter’s house, in Bhubaneswar.
The 15-year-old from a village in Jajpur is in an advanced stage of pregnancy. She had been working in the house of the deputy commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the last six months. He has also been booked for employing a minor. Police are on the lookout for both him and his father-in-law as they are absconding.
The matter came to light when the girl’s mother lodged an FIR with the Balichadrapur police station in Jajpur on Wednesday alleging that the 85-year-old man had been repeatedly raping her daughter in the house of his son-in-law at Sailashree Vihar in Bhubaneswar. The accused used to threaten her with dire consequence, if she dared to reveal the matter to anyone, the complainant said. The girl narrated her ordeal to her mother recently when she returned to her village.
Acting on the FIR, police launched an investigation the next day and filed a case against the BMC officer’s father-in-law under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Pencal Code, Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and Section 3 of the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
We have also booked the son-in-law under Section 14 of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, as he had engaged a minor as a maidservant in his house,” Sukant Patra, the inspector-in-charge of Balichandrapur police station, said.
As per Section 14 of the Act, whoever employs any child or permits any child to work, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term. It shall not be less than three months, but may extend to one year or with fine, which shall not be less than Rs 10,000, but which may extend to Rs 20,000 or with both.
Patra added that a manhunt has been launched to catch both the accused.
“The girl was found to be five-month pregnant after she underwent a medical examination at the district headquarters hospital in Jajpur on Thursday,” Patra said.
Sandhyabati Pradhan, the chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR), on Thursday met the rape survivor and her family members and discussed the case with the police officers of Balichandrapur police station. She has sought a detailed report from the Jajpur superintendent of police.
Meanwhile, BJP workers on Friday staged a demonstration in front of the BMC’s zonal office (north) demanding action against the errant officer. They gheraoed the office and demanded action against the officer.
BJP state spokesperson Dillip Mohanty said, “We want the state government to take stringent action against the persons involved in the rape case.” But the police should first act against the officer for employing the minor. Disciplinary action must be initiated against him, he demanded.
He threatened to intensity the agitation if the a proper investigation into the matter is not undertaken.
(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)