Raipur: Two more individuals were arrested on Saturday in connection with the alleged gangrape, blackmail, and extortion case involving a minor girl in the Silyari police limits of Raipur district.
Extortion Ring Uncovered
According to Raipur (rural) police, the investigation revealed an extortion ring operated by the suspects to fleece the two rape accused in exchange for keeping their crime under wraps. Shockingly, the police stated that the suspects were in contact with the minor's grandfather as they extorted the rape accused. The two individuals behind the gangrape had already been apprehended earlier.
Medical Confirmation and Initial Arrests
A case was registered for rape after medical examinations confirmed sexual assault on the minor, as per a press release from the sleuths. The probe later took an unexpected twist when, according to the press release, the three suspects repeatedly blackmailed and extorted the two accused as a price for keeping the gangrape concealed.
Blackmail Angle Pursued
Pursuing the blackmail angle, the police apprehended the survivor's grandfather, followed by two others, based on corroborative evidence. Detailing the wider conspiracy, the sleuths said three persons visited the culprits and their kin, demanding huge sums of money to settle the matter. According to the police statement, the suspects visited the culprits' houses twice, staying in touch with both the accused and the minor's grandfather over phone as intermediaries.
Money Transfers and Threats
Money allegedly changed hands through cash payments and digital transfers, the sleuths said. On May 28, the suspects (names withheld), along with another accomplice, drove to the houses of the two accused, threatening their kin with public exposure of the crime and imprisonment if their monetary demands were not met.
Legal Actions and Ongoing Search
Raipur Rural police added Section 308(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with other sections, after the new disclosures and revelations came to light. The two suspects were produced before a court, which remanded them in judicial custody. Their accomplice remains absconding, the police said, adding that searches were underway to nab him.
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