DIG molestation: Girl's family filed fake stalking plaint, say cops

Nishikant More

The Taloja police on Wednesday arrested the friend of the 17-year-old girl, who has accused DIG Nishikant More of molesting her in June last year, for kidnapping the minor and taking her to Dehradun. Meanwhile, the Navi Mumbai police said they have completed the investigation into the girl's December 21 allegation of stalking and kidnapping attempt against the Deputy Inspector General and concluded that the parents filed a false complaint.

The suspended DIG More, whose anticipatory bail plea in the molestation case was rejected last week, is still absconding.

The girl fled with the 19-year-old friend on January 6 and left a suicide note stating that she was going to take her life because of pressure from the DIG. A week later, the police tracked her down to Dehradun and brought her and the friend back on Tuesday.

"As the girl is a minor, the youth with whom she left city has been arrested under Section 363 (punishment for kidnapping) of Indian Penal Code and under the POCSO Act. The accused was produced before a court which sent him to police custody for 12 days," said Ashok Dudhe, deputy commissioner of police (zone 2) of Navi Mumbai.

The Taloja police said they also have video proof of the duo leaving the city together. In Dehradun, the accused had secured a job at a shopping mall and they were staying in a guest house, said the police.

'DIG is innocent'
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Dudhe said the minor's parents had filed a fake stalking complaint at the Khargar police station. "We have come to a conclusion that this is totally a fake complaint filed by the family with mala fide intentions. A thorough probe has been done; CCTV camera footage, mobile recordings and call detail record have been examined. The evidence clearly proves that the family hatched the plan to file a false complaint [against DIG More]," he added.

The Kharghar police have also said that the minor's call to the control room alleging that DIG More was trying to kidnap her was a lie." In the CCTV footage, the girl can be seen making a call in front of her mother while nobody was around. After making the call she was seen going towards her society. Also, her entire family and the friend can be seen in the locality speaking to each other, passing signals. All this indicates they were aware that the DIG was present at the location," Dudhe said.

A call recording of the friend, who has been arrested, reveals that the girl's brother called him to ask whether the DIG was in the locality, Dudhe said. "Once confirmed, the minor's brother asked him if he can dash his car and make it look like an accident..." he added.

The footage also proves that the minor's father was fully aware of his daughter's location and yet he went up to the DIG'S driver and started screaming that More has kidnapped her, he said. "The call records clearly states that the father was in touch with the minor who spoke to him before and after calling the police," Dudhe added.

The footage also verifies DIG More's statement that he had gone to a Khargar clinic for a medical check-up in the afternoon and evening. He can be seen talking to the doctors and his medical records were also found.

However, the girl's father told mid-day, "We have informed the police about getting a call from my daughter's friend who told us that the DIG is roaming in the area and we went there to check. On seeing my daughter, he came after her after which she called the police. It is wrong that my sister called police control in front of my mother to inform them about the DIG following her," said the survivor's brother.

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