IAF Officer Accused Of Raping 13-Yr-Old Surrenders In Bhubaneswar Court

Bhubaneswar: A 54-year-old Indian Air Force officer surrendered at the sub-divisional magistrate’s court in Odisha capital on Monday in connection with a sexual assault case.

According to sources, Group Captain KV Srinivas was accused of raping a 13-year-old on June 22 when his family, which resides in the Old Town area, had hosted a party at their home. The girl’s mother, who is a close friend of his spouse, arrived early to the get-together and Sreenivas offered to pick up her daughter later. Finding the Class VIII alone at home, he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

He was on leave from his posting in Delhi when the alleged incident occurred.

A case under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against him at Laxmisagar police station on June 28 on the basis of a complaint lodged by the survivor’s mother. The IAF officer had since been evading the authorities. He would go on leave for two to three days whenever Laxmisagar police conducted raids at his office in New Delhi.  The city police also camped in Delhi for three days to nab him but he did not return. His office later declared him as an absconder as he did not report to work after his sanctioned leaves were over. His anticipatory bail in different courts was also rejected, sources said.

The sub-divisional magistrate has remanded Sreenivas to judicial custody