The Navghar police have arrested an inspector with the rationing department, Bhayander (E), for allegedly demanding sex from a 27-year-old woman in return for a new ration card.
The woman’s husband had applied for a new ration card and the card was to be collected from rationing inspector Ajit Bhaguram Kasore (45) on June 2. As her husband was away at work, she came to Mr. Kasore’s office to collect the card. But, during the conversation, he asked her some unpleasant questions, and the victim answered, but protested to him about his language, according to the complaint lodged by the woman. “Mr. Kasore then asked for her mobile number for official purposes, and said that he would be required to visit her residence for verification before issuing the card. The woman wrote her number on the application receipt,” said inspector Shrikant Padule of Navghar police station.
The next few days, Mr. Kasore would call her at odd hours and make obscene remarks, but the woman didn’t lodge a complaint. On June 15, she answered a call, and the caller said that he was a friend of her husband, and wanted to have sex with her. Later, when she dialled the number again, it was switched off. She reported the matter to her husband on his return from work. “The next day, she approached us, and we registered a complaint under section 354 (molestation) of the IPC against the unknown caller, and started a probe,” said Mr. Padule.
When the police made a call on the number, it turned out to be Mr. Kasore’s. He was summoned to the police station for questioning. “We arrested him under section 354 of the IPC, and he has been remanded in police custody,” said Mr. Padule, adding, “We are also checking the call data records of the accused in this connection.”
The writer is a freelance journalist .
