Mumbai: Two Navy personnel and a defence employee were today arrested on charges of repeatedly raping and blackmailing a minor girl, police said.
The fourth accused, Pruthvi alias Umeshsigh Chauhan, a sailor who is presently on duty outside Mumbai and has been asked to report back to Mumbai for the police investigation.
The three arrested accused were identified as Jitendra Singh Daragokul Walchand (24), Pawan alias Ompal Hoshiyar Singh (31) and Rakesh Prasad Singh (41). They were arrested by the Cuff Parade police.
According to police, the victim was in a relationship with one of the accused. Last year, they parted ways and the girl got engaged to another person.
“However, the accused started blackmailing her and demanded sexual favours from her. They threatened that if she does not agree to their demands, they would inform her fiance, following which the girl succumbed to their demands,” police said.
The four accused repeatedly raped the girl starting January, police said, adding, they have registered an FIR under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 34 (common intention) and sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Meanwhile, the Navy said they are extending full cooperation to the police in the case.
“Full cooperation has been extended by the Naval Provost Marshal, INS Kunjali, to the police in the investigation and one civilian (a Military Engineering Service employee) and two sailors have been handed over to the police today,” the navy release said.
“The third sailor is presently on duty outside Mumbai and has been asked to report back to Mumbai for the police investigation,” it said.
Full assistance is being provided by authorities of Western Naval Command to the police in the conduct of the investigation, it said.