Lover held, Tata let off in ward rape

MUMBAI: A Goregaon man has been arrested for having sex with Shakeela (name changed), the pregnant teenager who claimed to have been raped at the Tata Memorial Hospital. Under the law, even consensual sex involving a minor is considered rape.

The Bhoiwada police exonerated the hospital and said one Firoz Khan (26) had confessed to having had physical relations with Shakeela. “We have given the hospital a clean chit,” said Dineshkumar Verma, senior police inspector at Bhoiwada.

Police said Khan – a carpenter and Shakeela’s neighbour – had been in a relationship with her for the past year and a half.

“During interrogation, Khan confessed to having a physical relationship with Shakeela,” Verma said. “He said he wanted to marry her.” Khan and Shakeela are residents of Bhagat Singh Nagar colony in Goregoan (West).

Khan has been booked under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (rape) and will be produced in court on Wednesday. He will be subjected to a battery of medical examinations.

Khan’s family has denied the charge made by police. “As far as we know, they were not in any relationship,” said Faizal, his brother. 

Hayat Khan, the father of the accused, said: “Firoz is innocent. If the DNA tests prove his involvement, he must face appropriate punishment.”

Though the FIR was registered at Bhoiwada police station, the case will be transferred to Goregoan police. “The crime occurred at Goregoan, so, investigation will be carried by a police station of that area,” a police officer said.