A case of gangrape has been lodged on the girl’s complaint and 22 accused have been arrested. Two minors have also been detained in connection with the case.

“All accused have been produced in the local court to seek remand,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Kalyan division) Dattatray Karale.

According to the police, the girl, a 9th standard student, was allegedly raped in January by one of her friends, a minor, who has been detained.

The police said the accused allegedly recorded the act on his mobile phone and began blackmailing her. Later, his friends raped her on multiple occasions in different locations like Dombivli, Badlapur, Murbad and Rabale, added the police.

The survivor has named a total of 33 people in the FIR and the police are on the lookout for the remaining accused. All the accused persons are aged between 16 and 23.

The survivor’s father is a labourer working in a small unit in Dombivali.

The FIR was registered on Wednesday night under sections 376 (rape), 376 (n) (repeated rape), 376 (d) (gang-rape), 376 (3) (rape on a woman under sixteen years of age) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the ACP said.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by the police to probe the case headed by an ACP-rank lady officer.