In a horrifying case that has sent shockwaves through the Taloja area of Navi Mumbai, police have arrested a 70-year-old London-resident man and the 30-year-old mother of a minor girl on Thursday, October 30, for the alleged repeated sexual assault of a 10-year-old child over a period of two years, police said.
The Taloja police station registered a case after the 10-year-old victim revealed that she had been repeatedly sexually assaulted by the London-based accused.
The most shocking element of the crime is the alleged complicity of the victim`s mother, who reportedly abetted the offence for a mere sum of money.
According to the police, the man, who was residing in Taloja during his time in India, allegedly forced the minor girl to consume alcohol before repeatedly sexually exploiting her. He is also accused of threatening the child with death if she revealed the abuse to anyone.
The victim`s 30-year-old mother allegedly received Rs 2.5 lakh from him for a flat rental deposit and also for monthly groceries, which led her to knowingly leave her daughter alone with the accused, thereby allegedly facilitating the crime.
Police have arrested both. During a search of the accused`s residence, police seized objectionable material including liquor bottles, sexual power-enhancing medication, sex toys, a digital video recorder, and the victim`s clothes.
Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) Senior Police Inspector Prithiviraj Ghorpade said, “We have arrested both the main accused and the mother of the victim for abetting the heinous crime. This is an extremely grave offence, and we have seized substantial objectionable evidence from the accused’s residence to support the minor victim`s statement. Both have been booked under relevant sections of the POCSO Act. We are conducting a thorough investigation to ensure the strictest punishment possible. Both were present in court on Friday, and they have been remanded in police custody until November 4.”
