Police in Mumbai have arrested an employee of a 5-star hotel after a Canadian national alleged that she was molested by the hotel staff during her stay earlier this month.
According to the police complaint, the 35-year-old Canadian national was staying at a 5-star hotel in Juhu, where the said employee entered her room and molested her. The woman is believed to be working for an event management company and frequently visits India. The man, according to police, is in his early 30s and identified as Sumit Rao.
The complainant said that Rao came to her room during her stay on 5 January and molested her on the pretext of taking a selfie with her. The man, according to her, rang the door bell at around 10.30 pm as she was getting ready to go out. Upon opening the door, she saw Rao standing outside. “He handed me a gift and shook hands,” she was quoted as saying.
She reportedly informed the hotel management about the incident before approaching Santacruz police station with a formal complaint on Monday. According to a report by Times of India, the hotel management did not provide any help to the complainant, prompting her to check out of the hotel and checking herself in another hotel near the airport.
Based on her complaint, the police arrested Rao on Tuesday and booked him under Indian Penal Code Sections 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with an intent to outrage her modesty) and 354 (d) (stalking).