VILLUPURAM: The Kandachipuram police in Villupuram district late on Thursday initiated a probe against R Arokiya Baskar Raj, village administrative officer (VAO) of Nallampalayam village, after an Irular widow said the officer demanded sexual favours from her for issuing her husband’s death certificate and sanctioning widow pension.
Speaking to TNIE, the officer accepted that he spoke to her on phone but said he did not say anything wrong. “The allegation that I demanded sexual favour is not true. I don’t remember telling her anything of that sort.” In a written complaint filed to the Villupuram Superintendent of Police along with the purported audio of the phone call recordings of the conversation between her and the VAO, the 28-year-old woman said, “I had applied for my husband’s death certificate in September this year.
The VAO asked Rs 5,000 as bribe. I pledged my jewels for Rs 2,000 and managed to arrange an additional Rs 1,000 and paid him Rs 3,000. After taking the bribe, he issued the certificate within a week. He then promised to get me widow pension and asked me to file an application through e- Seva centre. But taking advantage of my vulnerable position, he continued to call me at nights and demanded sexual favours.”
VAO may be booked under SC/ST Act
As the VAO continued to sexually harass her over phone, she shared the issue with her brother who in turn called the VAO and asked him to stop making abusive calls to his sister. Following his brother’s call, the VAO cancelled the widow pension petition, the woman said in her complaint.
The woman said after the death of her husband, her mother and mother-in-law were taking care of her and she needs the widow pension to support them and her two children. Kandachipuram police said an FIR will be filed against the VAO after getting the report of revenue officials. He may be booked under SC/ST Act and for sexual harassment of women.