Rape accused says he is minor

BHAGALPUR: The Bhagalpur police on Saturday submitted an application in a court, seeking police remand of Manish Raj alias Bauwa alias Avinash Kumar, one of the two youths who allegedly outraged the modesty of a 17-year-old girl.

The other accused, Sunny Kumar, who was arrested on Saturday, claimed in the court that he was a minor.

Manish surrendered before the special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court of aditional district and sessions judge

Shivanand Mishra

on Thursday. He was remanded in 14-day judicial custody.

The girl, a resident of

Milki

village in Bihpur block of Naugachia and an inmate of a private hostel at Bhagalpur, was allegedly raped by Manish and Sunny on November 19 this year. The victim, in her written statement to police, alleged Manish abducted her on November 15 and confined her in his flat at Maa Bhagwati Apartment under the Jogsar-Adampur police station area.

A three-member medical board of Dr Upendra Nath, Dr Sandeep Lal and Dr Anupama Sinha, constituted by the medical superintendent of Jawaharlal Medical College and Hospital on the request of the Bhagalpur SSP, has already submitted its 18-page report for submission before the court.

Jogsar-Adampur police station SHO Manish Kumar said on Saturday police were trying to procure the birth certificate of Sunny to verify his claim of being a minor. “We will produce Sunny along with his age certificate before the court for further action,” he said.