IPS officer from Yavatmal named in FIR for 'sexually exploiting' woman

Nagpur: A 30-year-old IPS officer of 2021 batch, a resident of Yavatmal— posted as sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), in Nandurbar district — was named in an FIR for rape, following a complaint by a 28-year-old woman.

The survivor, a doctor, in her complaint accused the officer of reneging on his promise to marry, citing her caste credentials apart from mental and physical torture. The police officer and his cousin sister were also named under Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocity) Act. If proved, the offence can lead to an imprisonment not less than 10 years or up to life.

Sources said the officer befriended the woman around three years ago on social media. Other than promising to marry her, he reportedly lured the survivor by assuring help in cracking UPSC exams. The survivor, swayed by the IPS officer's generosity, started believing him. After meeting in Nagpur, he took the survivor to Kerala and Hyderabad on a vacation.

The complaint mentioned that he first sexually exploited the survivor at a hotel at Ashok Chowk in Nagpur. Later, she was repeatedly exploited at the residence of the officer's cousin at Rana Pratap Nagar in the city. Police have also booked the cousin for abetting the offence.

Sources said the survivor was discouraged from filing a case against the officer as she approached cops at Imambada police station. The survivor, though, stood firm. The police department finally filed a complaint after she vowed to seek judicial intervention, sources said.