A West Bengal government official from the land reforms department has been arrested on rape charges in Sonarpur of South 24 Parganas district. The accused, identified as Amit Dey, allegedly raped a minor in 2019, recording the assault on a mobile phone and using the clip for blackmail.
The victim, whose marriage was arranged recently, was reportedly blackmailed by the accused to prevent her marriage by threatening to expose the video of the rape. Upon being harassed, the victim and her family lodged a complaint at Sonarpur Police Station, leading to the arrest of the accused on Monday night.
The accused, known to the victim’s family as he was a professional acquaintance, allegedly lured the teenage girl to a secluded location under false pretenses and raped her, filming the act. He then threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident, further blackmailing her with the footage on social media.
The accused, Amit Dey, objected to the victim’s marriage and disrupted the arrangement, resulting in the cancellation of the wedding. The victim’s written complaint led to the arrest of the accused, who also has a wife and children. A case has been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, due to the victim being a minor at the time of the incident.
According to a senior officer of Baruipur Police District, the arrested official will be produced in court for further investigation.
