Man held for raping minor

A 32-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl at his residence in suburban Jogeshwari, police said today.
According to Meghwadi police, the accused Raghunath Devale (32) was arrested last night after the victim's father approached the police, accusing his neighbour of raping his 15-year-old daughter.
In his complaint, the victim's father alleged that Devale had molested his daughter on April 30, by luring her to his house in Sanjay Gandhi Nagar area. However, as the girl started crying loudly, the accused refrained from making further advances and let her return to her house, police said.
On Thursday night, the accused again took the victim to his house and then sexually abused her. Devale threatened the victim of dire consequences if she revealed about the incident to anyone, police said.

The frightened girl did not reveal the matter to her parents. However, her parents became suspicious due to her changed behaviour. After repeated enquiries, the girl narrated the incident to her mother.
The victim's parents then approached the police last night and filed a complaint against the accused, after which Devale was arrested from his house in Jogeshwari.
The accused has been booked under IPC sections 376 (sexual Offences including rape) and 354 (assault or using force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty).
The victim was sent to a police hospital in south Mumbai's Nagpada for a medical examination, police said.