Team Goemkarponn
Margao: A village panchayat secretary arrested earlier this week in a sexual assault case allegedly manipulated and exploited the survivor by offering support, financial help and promises of marriage, according to a detailed complaint filed at the women police station.
The woman has alleged that the accused abused his official position and financial clout to control and threaten her, and later attempted to shield himself from legal action by filing what she described as a fabricated cheating case against her.
In her statement, the survivor said the accused frequently visited a wellness spa in Margao where she worked and that the alleged misconduct began on March 19, 2025, her first day on duty as a manager. She claimed he struck up a conversation, probed into her personal life and made remarks about her appearance, telling her she did not belong in such a workplace.
According to the complaint, the accused asked her to meet him at a restaurant within the mall, insisted on exchanging contact details and offered to help her secure alternate employment. She alleged that he immediately contacted an acquaintance about a job opportunity and transferred ₹15,000 to her account the same day, which led her to trust him.
The woman further stated that on the following evening, March 20, the accused persuaded her to step out of the mall and join him for a meal, after which he took her on a drive despite her objections. She alleged that he stopped at a liquor outlet, bought beer and pressured her into drinking, while refusing to consume alcohol himself.
She claimed that the accused later parked near a hotel and suggested resting there. When she declined and asked to be taken back to her accommodation, he instead drove her to a secluded stretch of Colva beach, where she alleged he sexually assaulted her.
The survivor stated that after the alleged assault, the accused gave her ₹50,000 in cash and pleaded with her not to approach the police, assuring her of further financial support and claiming that his job would be at risk if the matter became public.
According to the complaint, the accused continued to stay in touch with her in the months that followed, taking her on outings to beaches and churches in Panaji and transferring money to her bank account even after she returned to her hometown. She alleged that the total amount transferred over time amounted to ₹1.33 crore.
The woman further claimed that the accused later began harassing her through frequent phone calls, pressuring her to return to Goa and marry him. She said she blocked his number on October 15, 2025. Soon after, she alleged, the accused lodged a criminal complaint accusing her of cheating him of over ₹1.33 crore, which resulted in her arrest on October 28. She was released on bail three days later.
The survivor has also alleged that the accused and his family attempted to prevent her from filing a sexual assault complaint and forced her to sign a settlement document on stamp paper in November 2025. She claimed the agreement, signed under coercion and threat of legal action, barred her from pursuing any rape or molestation case in return for withdrawal of the cheating complaint.
Stating that the accused has since denied the existence of the agreement, the woman said she has approached the police while living under constant fear for her safety and suffering severe mental trauma. Police have launched an investigation into the allegations.
