Mumbai: Man stalks woman, spreads rumour of having affair with her; arrested

Photo for representational purpose

The Mumbai Police on Thursday arrested a 24-year-old man for allegedly stalking and sexually harassing a woman from Vakola over the last four months.

The alleged incident came to light after the 33-year-old woman filed a police complaint after the accused spread rumours in the area where she lives that she "had often accompanied him to lodges".

According to a report in the Times of India, the accused, identified as Farhan Khan, was released on bail on Friday. On February 2, the woman approached the police and lodged a complaint after Khan allegedly followed her and gesticulated in a vulgar manner.

In her complaint, the woman claimed that the harassment began in September last year after she lodged a complaint at Vakola police against her husband and his friend, Ijaz. Back then, the woman had accused the two of fraudulently withdrawing Rs 20,000 from her bank account.

She further claimed that Khan, who is known to Ijaz, had been threatening her since then and had even asked her to withdraw the police complaint. People who know the woman said that Khan is among those who intimidate people in the locality.

"When the woman refused to take back her complaint, Khan started to tarnish her reputation by spreading rumours abut her," a local, who did not wish to be named, said.