Mumbai: A 15-year-old minor girl was allegedly raped by a 16-yearold boy, and a video of the assault went viral on Instagram. The boy has been detained, and a case was registered on July 5 against those who circulated the video, as well as other unidentified individuals, at the Santacruz police station.
The victim, a 15-year-old student at a reputed school, resides in Santacruz West. On January 1, 2024, her 16-yearold friend invited her to his house for a New Year’s party. She accepted the invitation and went to his residence in Santacruz. There, the boy took advantage of her vulnerability and sexually assaulted her. During the assault, he allegedly recorded an obscene video on his mobile phone. Subsequently, he allegedly repeatedly raped her, threatening to leak the video on social media. Later, he shared the video with another friend on Instagram.
By June, the girl’s obscene video had gone viral in her locality, reaching her neighbours and acquaintances. The incident caused her severe mental trauma. Eventually, she confided in her parents, after which her father filed a formal complaint at the Santacruz police station.
In response, the Santacruz police registered a case against the 16-year-old boy and those responsible for circulating the video. The charges include sections 65(1) (Punishment for rape in certain cases), 77 (Voyeurism), and 356 (defemation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. along with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), and the IT Act.
