Even before the start of the Commonwealth Games, the Indian contingent on Tuesday grappled with a major embarrassment with one of its support staff being arrested on charges of "indecent assault" on a local teenaged girl.
Diwan Asgar Nabi, a masseur attached to NIS Patiala, was accused of misbehaving with a volunteer who had come to his room for house keeping work. He has been let out on bail and would be produced before a court on Wednesday.
Victoria State Police have charged Nabi on one count of indecent assault and another of unlawful assault. If found guilty, Nabi faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
India's Chef de Mission HJ Dora said that Nabi would be produced before the Melbourne Magistrate Court on Wednesday after the police were "convinced of the incident and the victim identified him during an inquiry".
The 16-year-old Australian girl working as a volunteer at the Games Village complained to the special village-based police, accusing Nabi of attempting to hug, kiss and fondle her when she went to his place for cleaning work on Monday.
Dora said the police inquiry followed an 'identification test' when Nabi was made to stand along with a few others of same structure and height, and that the girl identified him.
{{/usCountry}}Dora said the police inquiry followed an 'identification test' when Nabi was made to stand along with a few others of same structure and height, and that the girl identified him.
{{/usCountry}}The Police have also provided legal assistance to Nabi and the Indian Olympic Association has supplemented it by appointing a lawyer, Dora said.