Telangana municipal body vice-chairman arrested for rape

Hyderabad, March 2:  Police in Telangana's Nirmal town on Wednesday arrested Nirmal Municipal Council vice-chairman Sajid Khan, who was absconding after he was booked for allegedly raping a minor girl.

His driver Jaffer and conduit Anuradha were also arrested by the police.

Nirmal DSP Upendra Reddy said Khan has been booked under POCSO for kidnap and rape of the 15-year-old girl.

Khan was absconding since February 27 when he and two others were booked on a complaint by the victim.

The police officer said the accused was also involved in some other cases. He said the police will open a rowdy sheet against him.

Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had suspended Khan from the party on Monday, a day after police registered a case against him under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

The accused allegedly raped the 15-year-old girl in Hyderabad last month. The victim told police that the accused took her there along with the help of Anuradha, who is the owner of the house where the girl's family resides.

The victim, a class 8 student, had approached a child helpline and through them lodged a complaint against the municipal vice chairman.

After medical examination of the victim and preliminary investigation, a case under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of POCSO was booked against him. The house owner and car driver were also booked in the case.

The victim told the police that she was taken to Hyderabad on the pretext of a function and the accused perpetrated the crime at a hotel.

The girl later revealed this to her parents, who approached the child helpline and subsequently the police to lodge a complaint.