What initially appeared to be a shocking gangrape case involving a minor in Uttarakhand’s Champawat district has taken a dramatic turn, with police arresting two people for allegedly fabricating the incident.
Police identified the alleged mastermind as Kamal Rawat of Salli village, who was apprehended along with Arjita Rai of Kanalgaon, while another accused, Anand Singh Mehra, has also been named in the case.
The police said the three accused individuals have been booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. They are accused of allegedly confining the minor, circulating her video on social media, and trying to falsely implicate innocent persons as part of a planned conspiracy.
According to the police, the two arrested accused were produced before a court and later sent to judicial custody. The case surfaced on May 6 after a man filed a complaint alleging that his 16-year-old daughter had been gangraped by three men in Salli village on the night of May 5.
Following the complaint, police registered a case under the POCSO Act against three men, Puran Singh Rawat, Naveen Singh Rawat and Vinod Rawat, and launched an investigation.
Considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the matter, Champawat Superintendent of Police Rekha Yadav formed a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of the circle officer. The minor girl underwent a medical examination, and her statement was recorded as part of the investigation.
During the probe, however, the SIT noticed several inconsistencies in the statements given by the girl and other persons connected to the case. Police said technical evidence revealed that Kamal Rawat, the minor girl and Arjita Rai had remained in constant contact on the day of the alleged incident, raising doubts about the complaint.
Further probe showed that the three men named in the gangrape complaint were not present at or near the alleged spot at the time of the incident. The medical examination also found no external or internal injury marks on the girl’s body.
Police said the girl later informed the court that no such incident had occurred and stated that the case had been fabricated as part of a conspiracy. Investigators believe Kamal Rawat allegedly planned the conspiracy to settle an earlier dispute with the men named in the complaint. Police said he allegedly used the minor girl by luring her with promises of medical treatment for her ailing father.
Police added that Kamal Rawat has a criminal history and has previously been involved in multiple cases, including assault, abuse, sexual harassment, kidnapping, criminal intimidation and offences under the Information Technology Act.
Also read: Police say Champawat minor gang rape was staged
Follow us
