The central unit of the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has rescued a 17-year-old girl from the custody of her uncle, who had forced her to work in a ladies bar at Rabale MIDC by forging her Aadhaar. The 42-year-old uncle was arrested on Saturday night, and is in police custody till October 18.
The victim and her sister (22) lost their parents around 10 years ago and had been under the care of their uncle ever since. “The victim’s elder sister filed the complaint. The accused had, earlier, forced her to work at the bar too, when she was a minor. After turning 18, she managed to escape, and is currently working with a catering firm. Recently, she learnt that her uncle had pushed her sister into this job and decided to rescue her,” senior police inspector Nivrutti Kolhatkar said.
The complainant approached Joint Commissioner of Police Rajkumar Vhatkar and the central unit was asked to investigate. “The complainant said she had tried very hard to get her sister back but was unsuccessful,” assistant police inspector Rani Kale, who worked on the case, said.
The police first visited the uncle’s house in Koparkhairane and learnt that the victim wasn’t at home. They were told she was at a bar in Rabale MIDC, which they raided and rescued her.
“The accused had forged her Aadhaar to show her as an adult and get her the job as a waitress. We are now investigating where he procured the fake Aadhaar from. The accused would beat up the victim if she refused to work as he was jobless and depended on her earnings,” Mr. Kolhatkar said.
The police are also investigating if the sisters were ever sexually abused by their uncle, who has been arrested for forgery and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
