Deaf and mute girl molested, extorted of Rs 7.7 lakh

30.12.2025
Rajkot: The Bhaktinagar Police arrested a man for allegedly molesting and extorting a 17-year-old deaf and mute girl who was forced to steal Rs 7.70 lakh cash which her parents had set aside for a relative's marriage.

According to the police, the ordeal reportedly began on Sept 27 when a neighbouring teenage girl lured the victim to a nearby garden. When she reached there, the girl introduced her to her boyfriend, who was an adult.

According to the police complaint, the boyfriend of the victim's neighbour molested the victim and took several objectionable photographs of her.

Despite being unable to speak or hear, the victim can read and write to some extent. The accused reportedly used written notes to threaten her, claiming they would share the photos with her relatives and circulate them on social media if she did not pay them.

The crime remained hidden for over two months until the girl's family prepared for a nephew's wedding held between Dec 4 and 6. The family set aside Rs 7.70 lakh for wedding expenses, but when they went to retrieve the cash, the cupboard was empty.

Upon being questioned, the victim used sign language to reveal the harrowing details of the garden incident, the harassment, and the subsequent extortion.

She explained that she was handing over the cash in instalments to stop the accused from shaming her family.

Investigating officer MM Sarvaiya said, "We arrested the accused who works as a labourer. Our primary focus now is the recovery of the extorted money. We are also examining the mobile phone used to take the photos to ensure they were not circulated online."

The accused was booked under the sections 308(2) and 61(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The police are also investigating the degree of involvement of the neighbour who allegedly acted as an accomplice.