Nagpur: A 16-year-old Class 12 student and daughter of a top govt official, was subjected to sexual perversion, torture and knife assaults by her 19-year-old Instagram friend and gaming partner before being rescued by Hudkeshwar police late Monday after being held captive at a rented flat in Nagpur for more than 24 hours.The accused is son of a well-known Thane-based doctor and nephew of a senior Maharashtra cop. He was arrested during the 20-hour rescue operation that continued for over an hour post-midnight. He would chat with the survivor in the pseudonym of Akash Mehra and twice visited Nagpur in 12 months. He was produced before a spe cial POCSO court, which re manded him to two days’ po lice custody.After cops stormed into the flat, they found the teen survivor handcuffed and tied to bed rails. Her body bore multiple knife wounds, including lacerations caused by whipping with metal-studded leather belts. Police said, the girl was held hostage from Sunday morning till late Monday and forced into bizarre sexual acts, filmed and blackmailed repeatedly. Sex toys, handcuffs, leather belts were seized from the flat, which police confirmed were bought online. Cops swiftly took the girl to the govt-run hospital, where doctors said she’s in trauma.The police raid on the rented apartment followed a kidnap FIR lodged by the girl’s father at Hudkeshwar police station after she didn’t return home for more than 20 hours. The first clue came from a mobile call to the landline number at the survivor’s home.Cops also worked on Instagram chat details and other digital footprints to track Thane address of the accused and a mobile number of his mother. Nagpur police then contacted their Thane counterparts, who dispatched a team to the accused’s house, where cops directed his mother to call him and seek his whereabouts. When the call connected, cyber experts zeroed in on the accused’s location at Dighori in Nagpur. After receiving the call, the accused panicked and ordered the captive girl to contact her parents and say she was doing well. This call further helped police to trace the exact locality before piggy riding on an online food delivery boy, who was carrying a parcel to his doorstep.The 19-year-old accused reached Nagpur on August 1 and had collated information on the girl’s family background and used these details to blackmail her. The girl left home on Sunday morning, telling her mother she was going out to meet a friend and would return soon. When she didn’t turn up till late in the night, they grew anxious after her mobile phone was switched off. The family lodged an FIR and a police team led by zonal DCP Rashmitha Rao swung into action and activated the cyber cell. After the flat was located, cops led by senior inspector Anamika Mirzapure went in and rescued the girl and arrested the accused.Police are examining the Instagram chat history and probing whether the accused had planned the confinement in advance, adding all standard protocols for handling cases involving minors are being followed.Cops Summon Expert For DNA & Forensic EvidenceHudkeshwar police launched a full-scale forensic probe with help from the regional laboratory after rescuing the minor girl, who was held hostage and sexually assaulted. Electronic devices seized from the Dighori flat are under examination. Forensic evidence, including DNA samples, fingerprints is being meticulously collected by police as it’s crucial in the case.Specialised forensic teams were summoned to the spot to ensure timely and contamination-free collection of samples. Officials said the experts are assisting in recovering digital footprints from seized gadgets while securing biological and trace evidence from the crime scene. Police sources underlined that scientific proof will play a decisive role in building a watertight case and ensure the accused faces stringent legal action.Heated Debate At POCSO Court As Police & Defence Lock HornsA heated debate ensued in the special POCSO court on Monday when Hutkeshwar police produced the 19-year-old, who’s accused of confinement, repeated rape and brutal torture of the Class 12 girl. Police and the defence led by advocate Prakash Jaiswal engaged in sharp, heated arguments during the PCR proceedings, with the special prosecutor also joining the exchange.The court took cognizance of the accused’s complaint that cops had manhandled him and seized Rs 50,000. The special judge orally pulled up the officers, directing them not to work under external pressure and conduct a fair investigation. The crowded courtroom was cleared due to the sensitive nature of the matter. Later, police officers met the principal district judge and additional district judge, expressing concern that the court’s strict observations had demoralised the force. The issue was discussed at length.
