Teen girl raped in MP's Rewa; family alleges political influence to save accused

Bhopal, March 30: A 17-year-old girl was raped and later she was left on roadside late on Monday in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district. The incident allegedly took place in circuit house - a government-run luxury guest house -- located at the district headquarters, police said on Tuesday. The incident came into light a day before Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's scheduled visit to Rewa on Wednesday.

The victim, a student at Government Degree College for Girls (GDC) in Rewa, was allegedly taken to circuit house by one of her known friends saying that a person would help her to get good marks in the exam. There she was forced to consume liquor and was raped.

As per the complaint lodged by the victim, there were five-six people in the room and they were all heavily drunk. "She was beaten up for her resistance and later left with threatening dire consequences, if she tells it to someone. She was taken in a gypsy and was dropped at college squire around 11:30 pm on Monday".

Subsequently, the victim reached the police station at Civil Lines to lodge a complaint. However, lodging a complaint was "not easy" for the victim because the persons whose name she mentioned in the complaint allegedly have "strong political connections". She was kept in the police station for the whole night and she wasn't allowed to talk to anyone, the victim's family has claimed.

Later on Tuesday, when matter came into light and the family approached some local politicians, the victim's MLC was conducted, which confirmed rape and subsequently an FIR registered. Police claimed to have arrested one accused involved in the case and a hunt to nab others was underway.

Shiv Kumar Verma, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) talking to IANS said, "MLC report has confirmed rape and FIR has been registered against Vinod Panday. The room where the incident occurred was booked in the name of Vinod Panday and he has been arrested. He is a notorious person and more than 30 cases of different incidents are registered against him. Victim is a minor."

A close friend of the victim, who was aware of the incident, told IANS that she (the victim) was taken to circuit house by one Mohit Dubey saying that she would get good marks in the exam if she would meet the person there. The victim's friend has alleged that under the "influence" of some political persons, police have "forced the victim to remove the name of the main accused from her complaint".

"She was taken to circuit house to meet one spiritual guru Sitaram Das, who was present in the circuit house. However, she was forced not to mention his name in the FIR due to political influence," the victim's friend said on condition of anomity. Das is a disciple and grandson of well known spiritual leader Vedanti Maharaj, who has come to Rewa for kathavachan programme - scheduled for this week.

Replying to further queries, SSP Verma told IANS that the police were also investigating those who helped to book a room in the name of Vinod Pandey. "Rape incident and the booking of room, both are different incidents. We found that Vinod Pandey's name was mentioned on the circuit house's booking register. We are investigating the matter from all angles."