An SP, heading the Nagpur unit of Anti-Corruption Bureau, has been booked for sexually harassing a woman constable.
According to a police officer, P.R. Patil has been booked for outraging a woman’s modesty, sexual harassment, stalking and criminal intimidation.
Officers said the victim approached the Vishakha Committee, a committee for addressing sexual harassment at workplaces based on the Supreme Court’s 1997 judgement, earlier this month.
“We verified the statements made by the victim, and after finding substance in them, got an FIR registered with the Nagpur police,” Director General, ACB Sanjay Barve said.
The victim in her statement said that Mr. Patil first gave her his private cell phone numbers and then started making voice calls and WhatsApp and video calls to her.
“Matters escalated when he started asking her to send him videos of herself while bathing and soon, he would call the victim to his cabin several times a day and try to get close to her. The sustained harassment took its toll on the victim, who confided in her immediate reporting head, a Police Inspector. The PI asked her to lodge a formal complaint, but the victim chose to stay silent at the time fearing adverse repercussions,” an officer said.
Mr. Patil meanwhile, allegedly learned about the PI’s suggestion and threatened to take action against both of them.
In October this year, Mr. Patil issued an order transferring the victim back to her previous posting on the grounds that she had personal relations with her reporting head. He, however, later revoked the order but used it to further threaten the victim into submission till she and her reporting head ultimately approached the ACB top brass.
Based on the ACB’s recommendation, the police registered an FIR against Mr. Patil on Tuesday. The victim also submitted a pen drive containing screenshots of WhatsApp conversations with Mr. Patil.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Nagpur) Ravindra Kadam said, “We are verifying the material evidence and the facts in the FIR, after which we will call Mr. Patil for inquries. No arrest has been made so far.”
Mr. Barve added that a report has been sent to the State government, and, as the accused is an SP, further action will be decided by the Home Department, .
