Cop held for airline employee rape case

A sub-inspector, posted in naxal-infested Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, has been arrested in connection with the rape of a 21-year-old wife of an Australian national working in an airline here and for extorting money from her, police said on Tuesday.

Accused, Manoj Londe, who was booked on the charges of rape and extortion following the complaint filed by the victim on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday in Vinoba Bhave police station in Central Mumbai, has been arrested, Deputy Police   Commissioner Sheila Sail told mediapersons.

She however, refused to divulge further details on his arrest. According to the first information report, Londe threatened the woman of posting some of the video clips of her taken in compromising positions on Internet, police said.

The victim is an Indian national who married an Australian. Police said the victim had first met Londe about two-and-a-half years ago in Vinoba Bhave police station where he was posted then. The duo subsequently became friends and started having an affair that continued for over two years.

The woman claimed that Londe, who is also married, later started demanding money from her and also threatened of releasing the MMS clips on Internet if she did not shell out money as and when needed by him, said Vineet Agarwal, Additional Police Commissioner.

After the threats, the victim started avoiding him. Even after he was transferred to Gadchiroli district over a year ago, he continued to blackmail her and forced her to have

a physical relationship, police said.

The victim claimed that last week, Londe came to Mumbai and beat her up. Subsequently the matter was enquired and a FIR was lodged against the inspector, Agarwal added.