Delhi: Landlord ‘assaults’ two foreigner tenants

A 35-year-old US national, married to an Indian, has alleged that she and her Russian roommate were sexually assaulted by their landlord in the early hours of Monday, police said. An FIR has been filed in connection with the incident at south Delhi’s Hauz Khas police station.

A 35-year-old US national, married to an Indian, has alleged that she and her Russian roommate were sexually assaulted by their landlord in the early hours of Monday, police said. An FIR has been filed in connection with the incident at south Delhi’s Hauz Khas police station.

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The accused, identified as Rajiv Panwar alias Raju, 35, is a driver and has a travel business, police said. Panwar is the nephew of former mayor Jayshree Panwar and his father is a government employee while his grandfather had been an MP and president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee. He has been arrested.

A police officer said the victims share a rented accommodation at Shahpur Jat near Hauz Khas.

In her complaint, the US national told the police that there was no power in the area when she went to sleep with her husband around 2.45am.

“She alleged that around 4.30am, Panwar walked into her room and sexually assaulted her while she was asleep. She claimed she did not sense his presence for a while, but suddenly woke up to find him next to her,” said the police officer.

The victim claimed that even as they were making a call to the police control room around 5am, Panwar remained outside their door. He disappeared only when he saw a police team approaching the flat.

“The victims were sent to a government hospital for medical examination,” the officer said.