The woman, a homemaker, in her statement to police said that the rape took place in March but she didn’t approach the police then fearing social stigma and was scared that her husband would leave her. (Representative Image) The woman, a homemaker, in her statement to police said that the rape took place in March but she didn’t approach the police then fearing social stigma and was scared that her husband would leave her. (Representative Image)

A 27-year-old woman attempted suicide after allegedly being raped and blackmailed by a relative.

The victim had come to Mumbai in March. The 24-year-old accused, a distant relative, subsequently met her at her residence in the city.

“He asked her to make coffee for him and as she stepped inside the kitchen the accused allegedly groped her from behind. When she resisted, he picked up a knife and cut her hand. He threatened to harm her further and allegedly raped her at knifepoint,” said a police officer.

The woman, a homemaker, in her statement to police said that the rape took place in March but she didn’t approach the police then fearing social stigma and was scared that her husband would leave her.

The next day, the accused allegedly called her and demanded Rs 2 lakh. He claimed that he had recorded the crime on his phone and would post it on social media if she failed to pay him the cash.

As she ignored the accused’s calls, on May 20, the accused followed her, allegedly disrobed her on the road and started touching her inappropriately. She reported the incident at a police station, which registered a case under sections 354 (molestation), 354 B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 323 (causing hurt), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

On learning that an FIR was lodged against him, the accused applied for anticipatory bail following which he got interim relief on June 10.

Meanwhile, he kept demanding money from her, threatening that otherwise he would post the video on social media. “Blackmailed by the accused and fearing that she would be abandoned by her family if they come to know about the rape, she drank two bottles of phenyl and slit her wrist around 2 am on June 17,” a police officer said.

Her husband then rushed her to hospital where she remained unconscious for two days. On Wednesday, the woman told a woman police officer that she had been raped. Police then registered a case under sections 376 (rape), 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Senior police inspector Girish Anavkar said, “We registered a case on Wednesday morning. We then sent a team and caught the accused. Investigation is underway.” The accused was produced in court on Thursday and remanded in police custody.

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