The Chandigarh Police on Tuesday arrested a second man suspected of raping a 10-year-old girl who gave birth to a baby in August, The Hindu reported. Last week, forensic reports had shown that the DNA of the baby did not match with that of the girl’s uncle, who was accused of the crime.
The second man accused is the younger brother of the first accused, according to reports. The girl had named him during a counselling session held after the DNA test results had come back, a police official was quoted as saying. After the baby’s DNA did not match with that of the first man initially thought to be the biological father, the police had submitted an application in the court for allowing further probe. This was opposed by the defence counsel, The Times of India reported.
The 10-year-old had got pregnant after being raped multiple times, and delivered a baby at a hospital in Chandigarh on August 17 after the Supreme Court had denied her abortion plea at 32 weeks on July 28. Indian law allows abortion of foetuses up to 20 weeks old, but courts can make exceptions in case abnormalities are detected in the foetus or if going through with the pregnancy would put the mother’s life in danger.
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