MUMBAI: City crime branch on Saturday arrested two persons from Bhiwandi for allegedly sexually harassing a 10-year-old girl, demanding her nude photos via Snapchat and WhatsApp, and threatening to kill her parents if she did not do so. The girl informed her parents about it.
The class V student stays in Andheri with her mother, a homemaker and father, a businessman. Sunny Janiyani (29) and Ajay Mhatre (30) from Bhiwandi, who were arrested, provide fodder to cattle-owners. Police are questioning the accused about their motive but booked them under IPC sections for voyeurism, sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment, stalking and criminal intimidation. They were also booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and Information Technology Acts.
A complaint was lodged by the girl’s parents at Meghwadi police station on Thursday. A crime branch team led by DCP Dutta Nalawade began a parallel probe. Police said the girl had a Snapchat account, through which in June Janiyani contacted her and later took her WhatsApp number. The girl would use her home phone to attend online classes. Later, they began sending her obscene messages and she objected to it,” said an officer. Janiyani shared her number with Mhatre, who also began harassing her. The accused sent her a porn video and nude photos once. “They demanded that she send her nude photos to them. The girl got frightened as they threatened to kill her parents too,” police said. “We will produce the two in court on Sunday,” said Sanjiv Pimple, senior inspector of Mehgwadi police.
“Parents should check children’s online apps and games and report to police immediately in case of a problem,” a police officer said.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
