Mumbai man calls colleague ‘sexy’, gropes her, says she will have bright future if she gives in

Police said the woman, a computer operator, is the sole bread winner in her family

The MIDC police on Thursday arrested a 53-year-old man for allegedly molesting his 19-year-old colleague in a private company at SEEPZ in Andheri (East) on Thursday. The owner of the firm has also been booked for abuse and criminal intimidation.

The man threatened to get the woman fired if she told anyone what had happened. (HT)

Police said the woman, a computer operator, is the sole bread winner in her family. She lives with her mother, two sisters and brother. She started working as soon as she finished Class 11. Owing to a huge workload, the woman would be at the office from 10.30 am to 7.30 pm.

At 5.30 pm on August 1, she was asked to meet her senior in the store room, said the police. “On reaching there, she was touched inappropriately by the 53-year-old man, who demanded sexual favours,” said an officer. The man allegedly told her she was “hot” and “sexy”. He said if she gave in to him, he would ensure that she had a bright future in the company.

The woman informed the office’s women’s committee what had happened. They asked her to wait until the owner returned from a trip. When the woman told the owner about her ordeal on August 3, he asked her to keep quiet.

The woman then asked the police to register a complaint on August 9. Police said she told them that the owner has misbehaved with other women employees too.