Ballia (UP), Jul 5 (PTI) Police lodged a case against a man here based on his Dalit domestic help’s complaint that she was raped on promise of marriage and pressured to convert her religion, officials said on Sunday.
The woman, who has worked at the man’s house in UP’s Ballia district for several years, claimed that he entered into “a written agreement” of marriage with her five years ago when she was 17 years old, promising to make it legal when she turns 20.
He had molested her and forced other sexual acts on her many years before that, the woman alleged in her complaint to the police.
According to the police, a case was registered against Jalaluddin (24) on Saturday. He has been booked under relevant sections of BNS, including rape, and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST Act.
A police official said the woman, in her complaint, mentioned that Jalaluddin brought her to his house for domestic work, taking advantage of the fact that she was poor and an orphan.
He allegedly gradually started molesting her and eventually had physical relations with her.
The victim alleged that when she threatened to speak up, Jalaluddin, entered into a “written agreement and married” her on August 10, 2021. At the time, she was told that he would formally marry her and give her a share in his property once she turned 20, the official said.
When she later pressured him to get married, she was allegedly coerced to convert her religion. When she refused, she allegedly received threats to her life, police said.
The woman also alleged that Jalaluddin had been forcing sexual relations with her since 2017. She further alleged that he is now preparing to marry someone else, police said.
Rasra Circle Officer (CO) Rajnish said a case has been registered based on the victim’s complaint. He added that procedures are underway to record the victim’s statement before a local court in Ballia, and police have initiated a detailed investigation into the matter.
