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BAREILLY: A 23-year-old man, out on bail after being in jail for earlier rape cases, was booked by police for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl in Bareilly district. The serial offender was sent to jail earlier on charges of raping the survivor’s elder sister – about seven years ago. To add to their misery, the girls’ parents had committed suicide following the ghastly act in 2012.

The latest crime took place earlier in the month in a Bareilly village under the Visharatganj police station limits. It came to light after an FIR was lodged late on Wednesday. The accused is still at large. According to police, Sudesh Singh alias Sonu, who belongs to the same village neighbourhood, was slapped with two rape charges in the past and had been out of prison on bail only eight days before the latest crime.

In her police complaint, the girl stated that her eldest brother went to attend a wedding function. The accused barged into the house when the elder brother was asleep in a different floor.

“I was sleeping on my cot at the verandah when he entered my house after climbing the boundary wall. He took me at gunpoint, then raped me and fled from the scene when I raised alarm. I then informed my brother,” she stated in the complaint.

Station house officer (SHO) of Visharatganj inspector Rajesh Singh said that they were conducting raids to nab the accused who is still on the run. “An FIR under section 376 (rape) and POCSO Act has been lodged against the accused. Two rape cases were already registered against him in the past. The girl has also been sent for medical examination. We are now waiting for the medical report,” the SHO added.

According to police, the accused was released on bail in the past as well. In 2017, he was out on bail after being sent to prison for rape in 2012. The serial offender was again booked for the heinous crime after he raped another girl of the same village. And the police again sent him to jail.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

