A doctor practicing in Hasnabad, located in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, was taken into custody by the police on Tuesday, following serious allegations of sexual assault. According to the police, the arrest was made based on a complaint lodged by the victim and her husband, who had been working out of the state at the time of the alleged incidents.
The complaint revealed that the victim had visited the doctor for treatment while her husband was away. During the visit, the doctor allegedly administered a tranquilizing injection, rendering her unconscious, and subsequently raped her. It was further alleged that, while she was incapacitated, the doctor took compromising photographs of her, which were later used to threaten and blackmail her.
The victim claimed that the doctor repeatedly assaulted her, using the photographs to extort compliance and ensure her silence. Over time, the accused physician is reported to have blackmailed the victim into paying approximately #4,00,000, threatening to release the images on social media if she refused.
Due to fear of public humiliation and the absence of her husband, the victim initially refrained from disclosing the ordeal to anyone. The complaint stated that her helplessness grew as the abuse continued, with the doctor assaulting her multiple times under the threat of exposure. However, upon her husband's return, she confided in him about the incidents. He supported her and encouraged her to report the matter to the authorities, leading to the filing of the police complaint.
Following the registration of the case, the accused doctor was promptly arrested. Police sources confirmed that the doctor had been presented before a district court, where the public prosecutor requested five days of police custody to facilitate further investigation.
The next procedural step, according to police officials, involves the victim's confidential statement being recorded before a judicial magistrate, in line with legal protocols. This statement will likely play a crucial role in the ongoing investigation and the formulation of charges against the accused.
Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities are continuing their inquiry into the matter, focusing on collecting additional evidence and verifying the victim's allegations. The police emphasized that further steps would be taken as per the developments in the case and based on the magistrate's instructions.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)
