2 countries in Ludhiana police net for ‘extorting’ money from gang rape victim

Under the pretext of settlement

Two suspects allegedly forced a gang rape victim to settle the case with the suspect. ₹50,000. The accused later took the money from her and fled. On the complaint of the rape victim, the police of Branch 7 lodged an FIR against the accused under Section 384 (punishment for extortion) of the IPC and arrested them.

The suspects have been identified as Karam Chand alias Babbu of Jamalpur Awana and Budh Ram of Jamalpur.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP, City 4) Prabhjeet Singh Virk said the victim filed a complaint on Thursday accusing the accused of extorting money from her. Soon after receiving the complaint, the police filed an FIR under Section 384 of the IPC against the accused and arrested them.

The woman in her complaint stated that she had filed a complaint against Kuldeep and Mani alias Raman for raping her and recording an indecent video of her. The woman alleged that the accused promised Kuldeep to marry her. She added that on May 27, the accused along with his assistant Mani alias Raman went to a hotel room on a bike. The accused recorded an indecent video of her. The accused raped her and locked her in the room and kept the keys with her. The next day, she managed to steal the keys and fled. Later, she filed a complaint with the police. The police filed an FIR against the accused on July 15 under sections 376D (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

The woman stated that the suspects known to her forced her to settle the case with the gang rape accused, claiming that they ₹50,000 for it. The accused made her sign an oath regarding withdrawal of the complaint and submitted it to the police. She also alleged that the accused had extorted the money from her and fled.

The ADCP added that after filing a gang rape complaint with the police, the woman also sent complaints to the NHRC with the help of a social activist. In the meantime, the woman had reached a compromise with the accused. The woman submitted a request to the police that she did not want to pursue the complaint.

The police had informed the NHRC about the settlement between the complainant and the accused. Sensing the sensitivity of the matter, the NHRC refused to accept the settlement and directed the police to file an FIR against the gang-rape accused. Now the woman alleged that she was forced to settle the case.