Pune: Bus driver held on charge of raping minor girl

PUNE: A 35-year-old school bus driver was arrested by the Kondhwa police on Sunday on the charge of raping a 15-year-old schoolgirl thrice this year. Police said the driver had developed a friendly relationship with the girl but pointed out that a minor's consent does not matter in a rape case. The girl returned home late at night on July 16 after meeting the driver, which got her mother suspicious.
On being questioned, the girl spoke of her relationship with the driver, following which the mother lodged a police complaint. The driver was produced before a special court on Sunday itself and remanded in police custody till July 25. He has been charged under section 376 (rape) of the IPC as also under the Pocso Act
A school bus driver (35) was arrested on Sunday on the charge of raping a 15-year-old schoolgirl thrice between March and July 16 this year after developing a friendly relationship with her.
The accused was produced before a special court on the same day. The court remanded the arrested school bus driver in police custody till July 25.
Assistant inspector Lekhaji Shinde from the Kondhwa police station said on Monday, "A minor's consent is immaterial in a rape case. We arrested the man based on the complaint lodged by the girl, a Standard X student of a school." He said, "The girl used to travel in the school bus and got friendly with the arrested driver while commuting to her institution. The suspect wooed her into having a physical relationship with him."
The assistant police inspector said, "The two had physical relations at her friend's house in March and June. It was repeated at an under-construction site on July 16."
Shinde said, "The incident came to light when the girl returned home late in the night on July 16. Her mother got suspicious after she gave evasive replies to explain why she was late in coming back home that day."
The assistant inspector of the Kondhwa police said, "When the girl's mother prodded her further, she narrated her relationship with the school bus driver. The girl's mother then got her to lodge a complaint with the police."
He said, "We took the accused school bus driver into custody soon after receiving the complaint against him. We have admitted the minor girl in a government hospital for medical examination. A report is awaited."
A case for offences under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code, and sections 3 and 4 (both referring to sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered in this connection.