A Rajasthan-based woman reportedly sold her 14-year-old step-daughter to several men consecutively, for lakhs of rupees each time. Her crimes came to the attention of the police after the daughter escaped from her most recent ‘buyer’ and went to the police.
The girl had been sold to a Nalla Sopara grocer, Lachcharam Kriparam Chaudhary (35), who ‘married’ her in Rajasthan, after submitting a fake affidavit to prove that she was 20 years old. The grocer, after bringing the girl to his house, repeatedly sexually assaulted her. The minor escaped, and reported the matter to the Tulinj police, who have arrested the grocer on Saturday and will produce him before the Vasai court on Monday. As per the a medical certificate issued from J.J. Hospital, where the minor was admitted, her certified age is 14 years.
According to PI Kailas Barwe of Tulinj police station, the minor is the step-daughter of a woman known as Shanti, who resides in Rangam village, Pali district, Rajasthan. Shanti, who has two sons from a previous marriage, had married the girl’s father a few years ago. The man died, and the minor continued to live with Shanti, doing household chores. Shanti first sold the minor to a customer for Rs 50,000.” Barwe said. “After raping her frequently, he returned her to Shanti. Shanti then sold her to another customer for Rs 5.80 lakh; he also sexually exploited her and later returned her to Shanti. " He added, "The woman was in search for another ‘customer’ when she came in contact with Chowdhary. Shanti told Chowdhary that the girl was 20 years old, and issued a fake medical certificate as proof. Chowdhary paid Rs 6 lakh to ‘break her virginity.’ Chowdhary then ‘married’ the minor in a Rajasthan temple in 9 September 2015 and then brought to his Santosh Bhuvan residence, where he repeatedly raped her.”
Unable to bear the sexual abuse and torture, the girl escaped and went to the police.
The police arrested Chowdhary under Sections 376 (rape), 366 (a) (procurement of minor girl), 342 (wrongful confinement), 372 (selling minor for purposes of prostitution), 373 (buying a minor for purposes of prostitution), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC and also applied Sections under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act,2012 and will produce him before the Vasai court on Monday, according to Mr. Barwe.
A police team has been to Rajasthan to arrest Shanti. The police are also seeking the two other men who had purchased the girl.
The writer is a freelance journalist
After raping her, he returned her to Shanti, who sold her to another customer for Rs. 5.8 lakh
PI Kailas BarweTulinj police station
