Father identified as disabled daughter's rapist after 16 men DNA-tested
What's the story
The Cuffe Parade police in Mumbai have arrested a 20-year-old woman's father after DNA evidence linked him to her rape. According to the police, the crime came to light in October 2025 when the Cuffe Parade police got a call from the Cama & Albless Hospital, informing them that a mentally ill 20-year-old woman was found to be five months pregnant. She had been brought in with abdominal pain.
Investigation progress
How police zeroed in on father
Because the woman is mute, the authorities launched an extensive investigation and took DNA samples from anyone who had been around her, including her father. The police collected DNA samples from 16 people. After terminating the pregnancy, they sent the fetus' DNA to the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. On January 27, forensic reports confirmed a match between the father's DNA and that of the fetus. This led to his arrest on Tuesday.
Victim's disclosure
Victim initially scared to name father
'We initially arrested a 16-year-old and a 32-year-old man, both residents of a Cuffe Parade slum, after the victim identified them using pictures and visual aids. They have already been charge-sheeted," said an officer from the Cuffe Parade police station. "However, the DNA analysis has now established the father's involvement." The victim at first did not name her father due to fear of consequences. She later disclosed during counseling sessions that her father had also sexually assaulted her.
Therapeutic intervention
Police suspect multiple people exploited her
Given the victim's communication challenges, assistant police inspector Ashwini Patil sought help from Vidhayak Bharti, a non-profit organization working for child rights and protection. Leena Patade from Vidhayak Bharti said they used various therapies to communicate with the victim. The police suspect multiple people exploited her disability at isolated locations and her home when no one else was present. Some accused also took her to secluded places and gave her carbonated drinks.
Legal proceedings
Investigation underway, multiple suspects involved
"She was shattered and frightened and did not want to share anything about the incident. It appeared that she was warned by the accused not to speak about it to anyone," Patade of Vidhayak Bharti said. An offense has been registered under Sections 64(2)(i) and 64(2)(k) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. These sections deal with the rape of a woman incapable of giving consent and rape of a woman with mental or physical disability.