MP man booked for rape, ‘forced’ conversion after teenager gives birth

HOWEVER, HE WAS RELEASED ON BAIL AND A SEARCH IS ON FOR HIM UNDER THE NEW FIR THAT HAS BEEN REGISTERED

INDORE: A 21-year-old man was booked for rape and abduction and under provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act after his 17-yearold ‘wife’ gave birth in Indore, police said on Tuesday.

Following a letter from the Child Welfare Committee, the man was booked on Monday night under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 363 (kidnapping), section 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her for marriage) and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, an official at Sanyogitaganj police station said.

“The man and the minor girl, who gave birth to a premature baby at a government hospital on February 17, are from different communities. While seeking that an FIR be registered, the Child Welfare Committee said it was, prima facie, a case of child marriage, POCSO offences and religious conversion,” he said, seeking anonymity.

Before the registration of an FIR, the man was placed under precautionary arrest on February 18 over apprehensions of disturbance to public peace, the sub inspector rank official added.

However, he was released on bail and a search is on for him under the new FIR that has been registered, the official added.

Child Welfare Committee chairperson Pallavi Porwal said the girl, during counseling, admitted she was “married” to the 21-year-old man, though the truth of this can be found out only after a police probe.

‘The girl and her newborn are admitted in a hospital. If the girl and her family seek shelter, protection or security from us, we will provide it,” Porwal told news agency PTI.