CrimeInvestigation – Uttarakhand Raid Leads to Arrest of Delhi Man in POCSO Case
CrimeInvestigation – A 26-year-old man who had allegedly been evading arrest for more than two months in connection with a rape and POCSO case has been taken into custody by police from Uttarakhand. Officials said the accused, who belongs to Delhi’s Welcome locality in the northeast district, was arrested following a targeted operation conducted in Bhagwanpur.
Complaint Triggered Police Investigation
According to investigators, the case surfaced on April 4 after a 21-year-old woman approached the Welcome police station with serious allegations against the accused. In her complaint, she claimed that the man sexually assaulted her in 2023 after threatening her with a firearm. She further alleged that he recorded a video of the incident and later used the footage to intimidate and blackmail her.
Police officials said the woman also accused the suspect of repeatedly exploiting her over an extended period by using the recorded material as leverage. The complaint additionally stated that he allegedly followed her while she attended tuition classes and issued threats against both her and her family members.
Multiple Charges Registered
Following the complaint, police registered a case under various sections related to rape, stalking, criminal intimidation and other associated offences. Investigators then began collecting evidence and verifying the details provided by the complainant as part of the inquiry.
During the course of the investigation, officers examined documents related to the woman’s age and determined that she had been a minor when the alleged incident first took place. This finding significantly altered the nature of the case and prompted investigators to invoke stricter legal provisions.
POCSO Section Added During Probe
Police said that after confirming the victim’s age at the time of the alleged offence, Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was added to the case. The inclusion of the provision brought the matter under a more serious legal framework designed to address offences involving minors.
Authorities noted that the accused had disappeared soon after the First Information Report (FIR) was registered. Several teams were deployed to trace his whereabouts, and multiple raids were conducted at locations where he was suspected to be hiding.
Search Operations Continued for Weeks
As efforts to locate him intensified, police obtained non-bailable warrants from the court. Officials also initiated legal proceedings to have him declared a proclaimed offender due to his continued absence and failure to cooperate with the investigation.
Investigators eventually received specific information regarding his location in Uttarakhand. Acting on the tip-off, a police team carried out a raid in Bhagwanpur and successfully apprehended the suspect.
Previous Criminal Cases Also Identified
During background verification, police found that the accused had previously been involved in criminal cases. Records indicated his alleged involvement in matters linked to culpable homicide not amounting to murder as well as gambling-related offences.
The arrested individual has now been taken into custody, and further legal proceedings in the case are underway. Police said the investigation remains active and additional aspects related to the allegations are being examined.