Maharashtra IPS officer chargesheeted over model's rape

Mumbai: The Mumbai police's Crime Against Women Cell has filed a chargesheet in a court here against an IPS officer for allegedly raping a 26-year-old model last year, officials said yesterday.

The chargesheet against IPS officer Sunil Paraskar (57), who was accused of rape in July 2014 by an upcoming model, was filed in the Borivali Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

The woman further alleged that Paraskar molested and sexually assaulted her twice in 2013.

In July last year, a first information report (FIR) was lodged against Paraskar at the Malvani police station on various charges under the Indian Penal Code pertaining to rape by a police officer, intercourse by jail or remand home head, stalking etc.

The woman said she had met Paraskar in 2012 in connection with a case, when he was additional commissioner of police of the north zone.

Soon after the complaint was filed, Paraskar had filed for anticipatory bail and later a special court for women's cases granted him a pre-arrest bail.

In August 2014, following recommendation by then state home minister R.R. Patil, then chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had ordered Paraskar's suspension and subsequently a probe.

The chargesheet, running into more than 700 pages, contains statements of the model recorded before a magistrate and nearly five dozen witnesses, log records of the police officer's vehicle and other details.

The Borivali magistrate transferred the case to the suburban sessions court for trial where Paraskar would be required to appear on June 12.