Minor girl sexually assaulted at crime branch office in Goa; female aide, cop booked under POCSO

A 16-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted on multiple occasions by a police inspector with the help of a woman at the Crime Branch office in North Goa, officials said on Saturday.

Police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against inspector Vikas Deykar and one Ranjini Palyekar, who allegedly facilitated the assaults, they said.

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Director general of police (DGP) Alok Kumar on Saturday said the force follows a zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct and has initiated both legal and departmental action against the accused officer and his accomplice.

According to police, the alleged incidents took place at the Crime Branch office in Ribandar on July 25 and October 27.

The minor had initially approached the Child helpline service with a grievance, which was forwarded to Deykar. She later lodged a complaint alleging the officer sexually assaulted her inside his office.

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The accused duo have been booked under BNS sections 75 (sexual harassment) and 127 (wrongful confinement), as well as sections 10 (aggravated sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment) of the POCSO Act.

As the allegations pertained to incidents within the Crime Branch premises, the case was transferred to the Old Goa police station.