Minor rape survivor to produce newborn as evidence against accused
A minor rape survivor, who delivered an infant boy at the Meerut Medical College on Friday, has now decided to use her child as evidence to nab her rapist. Now that the child has been born, police will demand a DNA test of the newborn, with the hopes that the results will lead to the conviction of the girl's rapist. Here are the details.
The rape case came to light in August last year when the girl, a Class X student, approached the Moradabad Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). She told the police that she had been raped by 55-year-old Naresh Saxena, a local businessman, and police lodged a case accordingly. The girl was already three months pregnant when she approached the police.
The victim told the police that Saxena had approached her father and had asked that she be allowed to work as a domestic help. The businessman had also promised to take care of her studies. However, when Saxena's wife and daughter-in-law was absent from home, the businessman allegedly raped the minor girl repeatedly for three months before she managed to escape.
Police subsequently lodged a case against Saxena under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, and his wife Geeta was named as co-accused in the case for wrongful confinement of the minor. Later, the court of an additional district and sessions judge released Geeta on bail. Saxena, however, was sent to the Moradabad prison, where he is still lodged and fighting the case.
Earlier, Saxena's DNA sample had been collected for forensic tests. Now, police are hopeful that they will be able to match the newborn's DNA to Saxena's, thereby removing any doubt about the identity of the girl's rapist. Meanwhile, the minor girl's brother told TOI that their family will keep the child, and fight on for justice.
"The prosecution has been asked to seek the court's permission for a DNA test. We will leave no stone unturned to demand justice for the minor girl and ensure that the accused gets punished," said Moradabad SSP Ravindra Gaud.
