Akola (Maharashtra), April 2 (IANS) A police officer posted at the Civil Lines police station in Maharashtra’s Akola has been accused of demanding sexual favours from a woman while she was in police custody, triggering outrage and swift departmental action.

The woman had been arrested by the cyber police for allegedly defrauding another individual of Rs 80 lakh on the pretext of providing a job. After being produced before a court, she was remanded to four days of police custody and was subsequently lodged at the Civil Lines police station in Akola city.

During her custody, the woman alleged that an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) demanded physical relations from her. She reported the incident to a female police officer, who escalated the matter to senior officials. Upon learning of the allegations, a senior officer immediately visited the police station and reprimanded the accused ASI.

Following this, the woman formally lodged a complaint against the officer. Acting on her complaint, the Civil Lines police registered a case against the accused. The incident sparked concern and protests at various levels, given the seriousness of the allegations.

The police department took prompt action by suspending the accused officer. A search operation was launched, and later that night, the local crime branch successfully arrested the ASI.

In a separate but similar incident earlier on March 21, a police Constable in Aligarh was suspended and booked for allegedly making inappropriate demands to a 25-year-old rape survivor. According to police, the Constable, identified as Imran Khan and posted at the Quarsi police station, allegedly told the survivor that her complaint would only be acted upon if she met him in a hotel room and engaged in sexual relations.

The survivor recorded phone conversations in which the Constable allegedly made explicit remarks and promises of legal assistance in exchange for sexual favours. She later approached senior police officials with the evidence.

Following her complaint, Senior Superintendent of Police, Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, ordered the Constable’s suspension and directed that an FIR be registered against him.

–IANS

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