A man was arrested in Cumilla on Saturday in a case filed for raping his daughter-in-law.

The arrestee is Cheru Mia, said Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Hilal Uddin Ahmed of Chauddagram Police Station on Saturday.

Earlier, the victim’s father filed the case naming Cheru, the victim’s husband, and her mother-in-law as accused.

The victim was married to Cheru Mia’s son, Saiful, an expatriate working abroad, seven months ago via mobile phone. According to the complaint, despite her husband being abroad, the victim was taken to her in-laws’ home by Cheru Mia under the pretense of caring for her ailing mother in law, i.e. his wife, Ayesha Begum.

SSC examinee 'gang-raped' in Cumilla; 2 held

The victim alleged that approximately four months ago, Cheru Mia began forcibly raping her, threatening to kill her and dispose of her body if she revealed the assaults to anyone. On March 18, when Saiful, who works in Oman, returned home on vacation, he took the victim for an ultrasound, which revealed she was seven months pregnant. Upon questioning, the victim disclosed she was raped by her father-in-law.

Following this revelation, Saiful and his mother, Ayesha Begum, allegedly assaulted the victim and attempted to force her to undergo an abortion at a local private clinic. When she refused, they reportedly locked her inside the house.

"My daughter is mentally shattered," said the victim’s father.

Saiful acknowledged the accusations against his father, saying, "The accusation made by my father-in-law is true. People make mistakes. However, I want to resolve the matter through a social arbitration meeting and live with my wife."