A molestation charge has been added to the existing allegations in the case of assault on GST and customs officer Pradeep Kumar and his wife, police said on Thursday.

“Following our investigation into the allegations made against the accused and based on the evidence collected so far, a charge of alleged molestation, under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), has been added to the already existing charges, which include, among other things, attempt to murder,” an officer of the Sonarpur police station said on Thursday.

Section 74 of the BNS deals with assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty. An accused, if found guilty, can face imprisonment for up to a year, which may be extended to five years, and a fine.

On the night of October 23, a mob barged into Deeshari Megacity, a housing society in Rajpur on the city’s southeastern fringes, and trespassed into tower 11 to reach the fourth floor, where Kumar stays with his family.

The mob had ripped open the apartment’s collapsible gate and attacked Kumar, resulting in multiple injuries. Kumar and the other residents of the housing have alleged that the police were late in reaching the spot.

The attack followed a minor crash between the officer’s car and an autorickshaw outside the housing society on Thursday evening.

“Our preliminary probe reveals there was a case of alleged molestation, and therefore the charge has been appended. The CCTV footage only shows a mob walking and later leaving the housing complex. No CCTV cameras cover the lobby. The statements of residents serve as evidence,” the police officer said.

“We are also trying to collect a statement from the officer, but he has remained unavailable,” said the officer.

After the alleged attack, in which five men have been arrested, the police have decided to increase patrolling outside the housing complex.

On Tuesday, officers from Sonarpur police station, along with the local Trinamool MLA, Lovely Maitra, met the residents of the complex. It was then decided that police patrolling would be beefed up to restore confidence among apartment owners.

“A patrol team will be ‘covering’ the housing complex at least four to five times in a
day, and the exercise will be aimed at addressing all the concerns of the residents who alleged they were feeling intimidated,” the police officer said.

Senior officers said the night patrol would be intensified.