A 41-year-old manager of a diamond factory in Gujarat died in a Mumbai hotel on November 2, while allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl who was working in the same factory, police said.
According to police, the accused manager had been financially supporting her family, which included her mother, paralytic father and an unemployed brother. Police said that by threatening to cut off financial aid, the man allegedly blackmailed her and took her to Mumbai where he sexually assaulted her.
“The girl’s family shared good relations with him as he often visited her house to check on her bedridden father. He even helped them financially,” an officer said, adding the girl had started working at the factory, under pressure from her mother.
The family trusted him and would allow her to go out with him and his family as well,” said a police officer. On October 29, the man visited her house and said that he was going to Mumbai with his family, and asked them whether he could take their daughter along. Subsequently, at around 9.30am on Saturday, he picked her up and left for Mumbai. Police said that the accused allegedly informed the hotel that the 14-year-old was his daughter and presented a fake Aadhaar card while checking into a room.
A senior police officer said, “We have learnt that the manager had started sexually exploiting her in the factory by threatening to stop the financial help. He would threaten to stop helping her family and force them to return the money if she told anyone about the incident.”
According to police, on Saturday evening, the accused took a sexual enhancement supplement at the hotel room and collapsed while sexually assaulting the girl. “The minor then called the hotel staffers after which police were informed. The man was then rushed to JJ Hospital,” the officer added.
He was declared dead during treatment and police contacted family members of the girl. Her mother came to Mumbai on Sunday after which police recorded her statement and registered a case under relevant sections of BNS and Protection of Children under Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).
