Mumbai, February 11: Bhiwandi City Police have arrested a 22-year-old man on charges raping and blackmailing a female friend in Maharashtra's Thane. The police also arrested two of the accused's accomplices on charges of assault and blackmail. The arrests follow a complaint by a 19-year-old victim who accused the accused of raping her, recording the assault, and circulating the video on social media.

The arrested accused were identified as Chand Khan (22), Jameer Khan (22), and Kavita (20), Hindustan Times reported. The incident occurred on December 29, 2024, when Chand Khan lured the victim to a lodge in Vajreshwari under the pretext of an outing and then assaulted her. He then filmed the assault and threatened to release the video unless she continued to engage in sexual relations with him. Thane Horror: 13-Year-Old Girl Kidnapped, Raped; Accused Arrested.

Woman Raped in Thane, Friends Share Video on Social Media

Further investigations implicated Jameer Khan and Kavita, who allegedly assisted in threatening to make the video viral. The video eventually went public, causing significant distress to the victim.

The victim filed a complaint nearly a month later. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act. Senior Police Inspector Krishna Dev Kharade confirmed that the accused are in police custody until Wednesday. Thane Shocker: Student Arrested for Raping 17-Year-Old Girl at Farmhouse Near Barvi Dam in Badlapur.

On February 8, a special court in Maharashtra’s Thane district sentenced a man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a nine-year-old girl. Special judge DS Deshmukh on Friday found the accused guilty of charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The man, a resident of Thane city, was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, and a fine of INR 10,000 was imposed on him. The judge also directed that the fine be paid to the victim as compensation and referred the case to the DLSA for payment of additional compensation to the girl.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2025 04:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).