Cop suspended after woman accuses him of sexual exploitation

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A 57-year-old police sub-inspector (PSI), posted at the Kranti Chowk police station in the city, has been suspended after a woman (23) lodged a complaint accusing him of sexually exploiting her over the past 11 months on the promise of marriage and forcing her to undergo abortions on three occasions. The woman, who hails from Nanded and works with a private firm in Pune, also named the PSI's wife and son in the complaint, lodged on Feb 18, accusing the two of threatening and assaulting her that resulted in a miscarriage, police said. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar commissioner of police Pravin Kumar on Friday told TOI: "We have suspended the PSI and have initiated a preliminary inquiry against him considering the nature of allegations levelled in the FIR. A woman police inspector has been assigned to conduct the inquiry." In the FIR, the Kranti Chowk police have invoked offences under sections 69 (sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means), 89 (causing miscarriage without woman's consent), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 3(1) (r) (insult/intimidation to humiliate Scheduled Caste/Tribe member) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the PSI and his two family members. The woman has said in her complaint that she met the PSI first on March 7, 2025, when she visited the police station to report the loss of her mobile phone. On a subsequent occasion, the PSI called her claiming that he was verifying her number. He then remained in touch with her and lured her into a relationship with a promise of marriage, the FIR stated. The woman alleged that the PSI took her to lodges at various places in the city and kept physical relations. She further alleged that the PSI forced her to undergo abortions thrice in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar against her will. The officer allegedly tied a fake mangalsutra to make her believe she was his wife.When she pressed for marriage, the PSI allegedly abused and assaulted her, the FIR stated. His wife and son also threatened and assaulted her in one such incident on Jan 28 allegedly leading to a miscarriage, the FIR added. The case has been handed over to the Vedantnagar police station. Police inspector Pravina Yadav from the Vedantnagar police station said, "The suspect is absent from the duty. Our teams went to his home but he was not found there. He has gone underground and our teams are making effort to arrest him."