Mumbai: A salesman working at a store in Grand Central Mall in Seawoods was been arrested for raping and indulging in unnatural sex with a 13-year-old mentally challenged girl in September.
Police said the victim, whose mother has a shop in the mall, was headed to the washroom when the accused lured her saying he would show her a new place in the mall. They said as per the complaint by the victim, he took her to an isolated part of the mall and raped her. The accused, identified as Ashish Vinod Kanchan (29), a resident of Ulwe, was arrested on Friday.
The incident came to light during a counselling sessions at the victim’s school. Senior PI Smita Jadhav, NRI Coastal police station, said, “The counsellor grew suspicious while talking to her and told her mother about it. The victim later told her mother about the assault.”
The victim alleged the accused captured video and took pictures of her. His mobile phone has been seized, police said. The accused was produced in Alibag sessions court on Saturday, which remanded him in police custody till January 10. He has been charged under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 377 (unnatural sex) and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
