Balasore, March 22: Police have arrested an official of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited on charges of raping a 40-year-old married woman.

The 49-year-old accused, Gangan Behari Sethi, who is a sub-divisional officer of the telecom company posted in Balasore, was apprehended yesterday.

The police said Sethi would be forwarded to court today. The victim, in her FIR, said the accused, who was known to her, had raped her on Tuesday night.

The victim said she had come to Balasore from Bhadrak for medical treatment.

After the victim was done with visiting the doctor, she met the accused and told him about her ailment.

Since the accused stayed alone, the accused offered her a room at his house to stay — which she accepted.

After dinner, Sethi asked her to leave her husband and marry him. The woman was reportedly having a strained relationship with her husband. But, the woman rejected Sethi’s proposal.

Then Sethi raped her and later threatened her with dire consequences if she reported the matter to anyone.

The police have begun investigation after registering a case under sections 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code.

The victim, who is from Naikandi in Bhadrak district, is a mother of two. But she lives with one of her children following differences with her husband.

She has known the accused, also a father of two, for the past eight years.

Inspector in charge of Sahadevkhunta police station Manoj Rout said: “The accused has been sent for medical examination. The victim, however, refused to take the medical test.”