Goa police inspector among two arrested in minor’s sexual assault case at Cyber Crime Police Station

Goa Police on Wednesday arrested a 40-year-old suspended police inspector and a woman accused of facilitating the alleged sexual assault of a minor at the Cyber Crime Police Station on two occasions earlier this year, police said.

Inspector Vikas Deykar and Rajani Palekar (37) were arrested on Wednesday. The minor had alleged that she was asked to undress and touched inappropriately during visits to the police station on July 25 and October 27.

“Both accused had earlier joined the investigation pursuant to notices issued under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. During further interrogation today, material inconsistencies were noticed in their statements, and both accused failed to provide satisfactory explanations regarding crucial aspects of the case,” North Goa Superintendent of Police Rahul Gupta said in a statement.

“Considering the material collected during the investigation, their alleged involvement in the offence, lack of cooperation, the necessity of custodial interrogation and apprehensions regarding possible influence on witnesses and tampering with evidence, both accused were placed under arrest today,” the statement added.

Deykar, who was previously suspended after an FIR was lodged against him, was posted as the police inspector of the Cyber Crime division of the Crime Branch.

The minor said in her complaint that she was asked to undress and was touched inappropriately when she visited the Cyber Crime Police Station.

“Deykar and Palekar were booked under Sections 75 (sexual harassment), 127 (wrongful confinement), 49 (abetment of an offence) and 61(2)(a) (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and Sections 10 and 12 of the POCSO Act,” a police officer attached to the Old Goa Police Station said.