Former scientist arrested for sexually abusing ‘adopted’ girls

Nagpur, Sep 1 (PTI) A retired scientist has beenarrested for allegedly sexually abusing three minor girls,whom he had reportedly adopted, over the years, police saidtoday. Maqsood Ansari (72) a former assistant scientist withNEERI here, was nabbed yesterday following a complaint by theeldest girl aged 16, who told police that she was "exploited"since she was in Class I and the accused had also offered tomarry her. Another girl’s age is around 11 years, while theyoungest one is six-and-half-years-old, the complaint said,adding the accused has been allegedly exploiting the trio overthe years and threatened them. Dhantoli police arrested Ansari last evening andcharged him with rape and under provisions of Protection ofChildren From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Ansari, who was married at least twice but could notfather a biological child, had apparently adopted the girls ata tender age on the pretext of bringing them up and educatethem, police said. Neither of Ansari’s two wives stayed with him. The accused had been forcing himself upon the girlsregularly, they said. After the eldest girl approached an NGO through afriend’s family, the victims were rescued from their residenceat Ajni Square on Wardha road by Zonal DCP Deepali Masirkarand shifted to a government shelter, sources said. "An NGO is providing means for the girls to continuewith their schools. Police will probe how the girls wereadopted," Masirkar said. "Police could not find any adoption documents whilesearching the house and the accused too is not forthcomingabout any legal information on the adoption," she said. PTIJOE DK NSDBAS