A PhD scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has accused an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), also a PhD student at the institute, of sexually exploiting her under false pretenses of marriage.
The victim, whose research focuses on cybercrime, which aligns with the accused's area of study, claimed their relationship began during their academic pursuits, said a report by Hindustan Times.
The accused, Mohsin Khan, who serves as the ACP at the Collectorgunj police circle, allegedly promised to marry the victim, a fourth-year PhD student. However, the victim later discovered that Khan was already married and had a child.
Khan, who enrolled at IIT Kanpur in July 2024 to pursue a PhD in criminology and cybercrime, had concealed his marital status and misled the victim by falsely promising marriage.
It was only after learning of Khan's existing family situation that the victim confronted him. Khan allegedly assured her that he would divorce his wife and marry her but later backed out of his promise. Following this, the victim filed a formal complaint.
In response to the allegations, Khan was removed from his position in Kanpur and transferred to the police headquarters in Lucknow to prevent any potential interference in the investigation, confirmed Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South, Ankita Sharma.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Archana Singh, Additional DCP (Traffic), has been formed to investigate the case.
An FIR was filed on Thursday, December 12, under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to sexual exploitation. Khan, who holds the rank of Deputy SP, is currently under investigation, added Hindustan Times.
In a statement, Prof Manindra Agarwal, Director of IIT Kanpur, expressed the institute's commitment to supporting the victim during this challenging time. "We are fully cooperating with the police in the investigation and request everyone to respect the privacy of the student," he added.
