Pune Police arrests man under POCSO for allegedly, abducting, confining, raping minor girl

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 1 : Officials of Pune Police have apprehended a 22-year-old man on charges of allegedly abducting, wrongfully confining, and raping a minor girl who had been reported missing four years ago from Manchar in the district.

The accused, identified as Javed Shaikh, has been arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 363 (Kidnapping), 376 (Punishment for Rape), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 344 (Wrongful confinement), as well as relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

According to the police, the girl had disappeared in March 2019, and a kidnapping case was registered at that time.

"Last month, the accused and the girl returned to Manchar, following which the girl's relatives tracked them down and rescued the girl from a room. On May 16, the girl's relatives brought her to the police station, and Javed Shaikh was arrested the next day. Currently, he remains in judicial custody," police said.

Pune Rural Police SP Ankit Goyal said, "As per a complaint by the father of the girl, the Pune Rural police on March 23, 19 had registered a case in Manchar Police Station under section 363 IPC. On May 16, 2023, the parents and other relatives had come to the police station along with girl and on the basis of preliminary information police arrested the 22-year-old accused identified as Javed Shaikh."

"Subsequently, a medical test was conducted on the girl and police recorded her statement under 164 CrPC. After recording the statement police added sections 324, 344, 376 of IPC and POCSO Act in the current FIR," police said, adding that investigation into this matter is underway.

In the midst of these events, Gopichand Padalkar, a leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), linked the case to Love Jihad and alleged that the girl had been subjected to torture, including cigarette burns, forced to eat beef, forced to wear burqa offer namaaz.

Therefore police must investigate all those who are involved in this," the BJP leader demanded.

"All those including the daughter of Sharad Pawar who says there is nothing like the case of Love Jihad, can they now explain what case is this?" Padalkar said, aiming at opposition parties.