Bhubaneswar, Sept. 21: Airfield police today arrested a Class-IV contractual employee of the state secretariat for allegedly raping an 18-year-old tribal girl working as a maid in his house.

The police arrested Sudhir Kumar Bihari, 48, and they are also searching for his 20-year-old son Chinmay Bihari, who had also allegedly raped the girl.

A senior police officer said the girl had started working in Bihari’s house at Bhimtangi seven months ago.

“The father and son duo have been raping her since she had started working. The girl, too, alleged that Sudhir had forced her to keep physical relationship with other persons in exchange of money,” said a police officer.

The matter came into light after the girl managed to escape from the house and went to the police for help.

The police later sent her to a short-stay home last week. The victim narrated her plights before the women counsellors, and subsequently, a case was registered.

The girl, too, alleged that she was four months pregnant.

“A case has been registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 376 (punishment for rape), and we arrested Sudhir. Efforts are on to nab the other accused,” said inspector in charge of Airfield police station Rashmi Ranjan Sahoo.