He would lure children with chocolates and was known to them as ‘Chocolate uncle’; neighbours caught him red-handed as he was engaged in oral sex with a teenage girl
Mumbai crime, oral sex, minor girls abused, crimes against minors, sex crimes, chocolate uncle, Goregaon West, Arun Patil, Mumbai, sexual abuse
Fondly referred to as ‘Chocolate uncle’ by children living in his society, a 60-year-old man residing in a Goregaon (West) building was arrested on January 29 for sexually abusing two minor girls.
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As his nickname suggests, he would lure teenage girls in the society with the promise of chocolates, and would then force them to perform oral sex, as his neighbours discovered when they caught him red-handed on Thursday night.
Late that night, one of the building residents saw the accused, Arun Patil, lead a teenage girl into his room, and immediately informed the girl’s parents about it. The parents and a few other society members gathered and burst into his room and caught him in the act.
To everyone’s shock, after this incident came to light, another minor came forward and said that ‘Chocolate uncle’ had done the same with her on past occasions. He told her not to tell anyone about it, or he would stop giving her chocolates, she told her parents.
Police Inspector Tushar Gogawale, from Goregaon police station, said, “After the incident, all the society members assembled in the police station and we registered an FIR, as both the survivors gave similar statements. On that basis, we arrested Arun Patil and he confessed to the crime.”
According to PI Gogawale, Patil admitted that the abuse had been going on since a few months. “It is suspected that he did similar things with other teenager girls who live in the society as well, but we will register more FIRs if other girls come forward,” he added.
“Till now, two girls have come forward with statements against Patil, who works in the technical department in the film industry” said Senior Police Inspector Sunil Wadke from Goregaon police station, adding that Patil was a divorcee and had been living alone in the society.
Patil was charged under Section 377 (unnatural offence) of the Indian Penal Code and under relevant sections of the POCSO Act. He was produced before the court yesterday, which remanded him in police custody for
three days.
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