The Odisha Police on Sunday reportedly arrested Balaram Champatiray, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela, for allegedly sexually harassing two tribal women security guards. The women at the institute had accused him of allegedly sexually assaulting and abusing them.
The police produced Champatiray before a court, which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days, the Press Trust of India quoted DSP Zone-1 PK Mishra as saying. The court also declined his bail appeal.
Champatiray, who was on the run since May 29 (when a complaint was registered against him), was arrested from Jagada when he was on his way to his relative's house. The police were able to track him down after he started using his ATM card to withdraw money, and kept him under surveillance.
The NIT Rourkela had filed a complaint after the institute's fact finding team found evidence that established the validity of the allegations, according to a May 30 report of the Indian Express.
"While the women security guards have levelled allegation of sexual harassment and abuse, the fact finding team formed by the NIT Director has also lodged an FIR against the accused. All complaints will be clubbed while conducting investigation," Mishra had told the IE.
The fact finding team was set up after the incident came to light towards the end of May. The PhD and M Tech students had held protests at the campus, seeking the authorities to take action against Champatiray.
