Baripada, Dec. 10: Mayurbhanj police on Monday evening arrested the project director of the government-run Watershed Mission Scheme for allegedly sexually assaulting one of his junior colleagues.

The accused, Golak Chandra Mahali, who is in his mid- fifties, was remanded in judicial custody after Karanjia court rejected his bail plea.

The 20-year-old victim, a contractual employee, has alleged that the accused had molested her on two occasions.

He had allegedly told her that he would make her job permanent if she co-operated with him. If she protested, he would ensure that she lost her job.

In her complaint to the police, she said that Mahali had called her to the office in Joshipur around noon on October 18, which was a holiday.

Though it was a holiday, she reached the office on time as it was a call from her superior officer. Upon arrival, she saw that there was no one in the office and the accused molested her.

As she protested against his sexual overtures, he had threatened her with dire consequences.

On December 2, the officer had called him to his office again and made similar sexual advances. The victim said that she had spurned the overtures.

He also allegedly got her signatures in blank papers before leaving the office. On the basis of the complaint, the accused had been charged under sections of 376, 511, 506 and 294 of the Indian Penal Code.

Sub-divisional police officer Srikrushna Behera said: “The victim alleged sexual assault, exploitation and threat of dire consequences from the accused officer.”