Navi Mumbai: The 70-year-old Non-Resident Indian (NRI) from London, arrested by the Navi Mumbai Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) for allegedly raping and molesting a 10-year-old girl, has been remanded to judicial custody after the court refused to extend his police remand.
The accused, identified as Farooq Allauddin Shaikh, was produced before the court for a second remand hearing in connection with the case registered under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
During the hearing, Advocate Husayn Kopty, assisted by Adv. Rushail Navani, appeared for Shaikh and argued that further custodial interrogation was unnecessary as the investigating agency had already seized all relevant materials — including electronic devices, CCTV footage, medicines, alcohol, and other articles recovered from the accused’s residence. Kopty further submitted that Shaikh had been cooperative throughout the investigation and emphasized that he was a father of three and grandfather of five.
The police, however, sought an extension of custody for seven more days, citing the need to investigate potential related offences.
After hearing both sides, the court noted that nothing more remained to be recovered from the accused and declined to extend police custody. The court consequently remanded Shaikh to judicial custody.
Shaikh was arrested last week after an early morning raid at his Taloja flat, where the AHTU rescued the 10-year-old victim. The probe revealed that Shaikh, who retired as a taxi driver in the US and draws a pension of 4,000 pounds, had allegedly been abusing the child for nearly two years with the complicity of her mother, who has also been arrested.
Both the accused have been charged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act, and the child has been placed under the care of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
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