A man has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman, whom he had befriended on a social networking site, in a boat in the middle of the Ganga river near Kolkata’s Prinsep Ghat, police said on Sunday.

He was apprehended from Behala on Saturday night and produced before a court on Sunday, they said.

The incident took place in March this year, following which the accused allegedly blackmailed her on a few occasions and extorted money from the woman, a police officer said.

The woman lodged a police complaint in July, but the accused had been absconding since then, he said.

“He had introduced himself as a high-ranking official in the central government and gradually gained her trust. Over time, they exchanged contact details and began speaking regularly. As their acquaintance deepened, he invited her on a boat ride on the Ganga under the pretext of sightseeing.

“The woman agreed and met him at Prinsep Ghat, from where the two took a boat headed towards Babughat. It was during this ride, in the middle of the river, that the alleged sexual assault took place," the officer said.

Further investigation is underway.

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