A screenshot of some objectionable chats between a man and a woman helped the Delhi police nab a 53-year-old Anglo-Indian businessman and his 43-year-old girlfriend for allegedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl, a police officer said on Thursday.
“We have arrested the accused, Michael, who is the managing director of a business house located in south Delhi, and his girlfriend Emma, who teaches foreign language in a school, for helping him in committing the crime. The accused have been sent to jail under IPC Section 376 [rape] and POCSO,” said the officer.
The police said a few days ago they received a screenshot of a chat in which a man was asking Emma to arrange for a child for him. Based on the details of the chat, sent by a Kolkata-based NGO, the man and the woman were identified but the police needed an official complaint to proceed further.
“We approached the 10-year-old girl who was referred to in the chat. A counsellor spoke to the girl but she remained silent. Later, her uncle and aunt also counselled her and she was given a pen and paper to write down her ordeal. Based of her complaint, an FIR was registered at Vasant Kunj North police station and the couple was arrested,” said the police officer.
Abused 4 times
The officer said the girl was sexually abused by the businessman four times over the last six months. The girl used to go for free tuitions to Emma’s house. Her parents had died several years ago and she stayed with her uncle who was employed with Michael.
“One of Emma’s colleagues mistakenly accessed her Gmail chat box and read her conversation with Michael. They were chatting about sex with a minor girl. The colleague got suspicious and took a screenshot of the chats and forwarded it to his friend in a Kolkata-based NGO which works for protection of children from sexual abuse. The NGO approached the Delhi police,” said the officer.
“We have confiscated the accused’s laptop, mobile phones and other electronic devices to find out if he has sexually abused more children in the past,” the officer added.
