Mumbai: Azad Maidan police arrests HIV positive man for allegedly raping his minor stepdaughter

The Azad Maidan police have arrested a 45-year-old HIV positive man for allegedly raping his minor stepdaughter last week. Police said that since the accused is HIV-positive, the minor survivor will be getting a medical check-up to ascertain her condition.

The accused has been arrested under sections 376 (rape) and 506(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. Police are also investigating if the accused has assaulted the survivor in the past as well.

According to police, the incident took place last week, when the girl’s mother was away. The accused allegedly raped his stepdaughter in their shanty near Bombay Hospital and then threatened her to keep quiet. The traumatised child shared her ordeal with a woman, a neighbour only last week. The woman took her to the police station and subsequently an FIR was registered.

Within hours of the incident being reported, he was arrested and has been sent to police custody till February 14. “As soon as we received the complaint, we registered an offence and nabbed the accused. He is in our custody till February 14,” said Bhushan Belnekar, senior inspector of Azad Maidan police station.

Since both the accused and his wife are reportedly HIV-positive, police have sent the survivor for medical examination. She is also being counselled by the child welfare committee, police said.