Gujarat horror: 8, including 2 minors, booked for repeated gang rape of 14-year-old girl

RAJKOT: Eight people, including two minors, have been booked for the alleged repeated gang rape of a 14-year-old girl over the past two months, police said on Tuesday. The complaint was registered at Bhaktinagar police station.

Those booked are Devil alias Sahil, Sahil alias Zeri, Mihir Kugasiya, Razak Theba, Dhaval, Asif Shahmadar and the two minors. Police have invoked Sections 37, 64(2)(m), 65(1), 70(2), 351(2), 223 and 204 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Police said the girl was subjected to rape at multiple locations in Rajkot city between March 15 and May 16.

The victim, who has studied up to Class VII and now does household work, told police that about three months ago the first minor, her friend, gave her a mobile phone. As the phone did not have a sim card, she got one from the second minor — a friend of the first minor.

According to the complaint, the girl and the second minor became friends and he would call her to meet at the Sorathiyawadi Circle garden. The first minor also introduced her to Devil alias Sahil on Instagram. On March 29, Devil allegedly took her to Sahil alias Zeri’s house, where he allegedly raped her and threatened her not to tell anyone.

The next day, Devil dropped her off near her home. Police said the girl, frightened by the incident, poisoned herself and was hospitalized.

On May 6, while the girl and the first minor were near her house, he called two boys passing by on an Activa. She identified one of them as Mihir Kugasiya. Kugasiya allegedly took her to a hotel behind the bus station, saying he was a police officer, and raped her in a hotel room, threatening her to remain silent and to come whenever he called.

The complaint states that the next day Kugasiya messaged her again and picked her up at 5pm. He allegedly took her to another hotel on the third floor near the bus station and again raped her.

On May 16, Razak Theba, a neighbour, allegedly messaged her on Instagram and asked her to meet near a municipal school at 6pm. Police said he took her on an Activa to a hotel, where he raped her.

The girl told police that on May 17, Razak messaged her at 11pm, suggesting a drive. She met him near School No. 63, where he arrived in a white Swift car. He allegedly made her sit in the car, picked up Asif Shahmadar and Dhaval, and the three took turns to rape her, over about an hour.

Bhaktinagar police inspector J D Parmar said, “When her father discovered the phone, he asked her about it, and she revealed that her cousin had given it to her. On further questioning by her father, she described the incidents of the past three months, leading to the registering of an offence.”

Kugasiya repeatedly impersonated a police officer

Mihir Kugasiya has previously faced seven complaints at various police stations for extorting money by impersonating a police officer. He has also been charged twice under the PASA Act. Despite being released from jail, police say he continues to pretend to be a police officer. In March, a second PASA order was issued against him by the police commissioner.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)