Petrol pump supervisor in Ahmedabad held for molesting minor employee

A supervisor at a petrol pump near Hathijan Circle has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 17-year-old minor employee and subjecting her to obscene demands over the past three months, police said on Tuesday.

The Vatva GIDC police station registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other relevant sections of the BNS, following a complaint from the victim who was harassed repeatedly at her workplace.

The accused, identified as Manish Parihar, who worked as a supervisor at the petrol pump, has been taken into custody as investigations continue.

According to the FIR, the minor, a resident of Vatva GIDC, where she lives with her family, had been employed at the establishment for some time. 

Over the last three months, Parihar allegedly harassed her on various pretexts, escalating to making lewd propositions that left her distressed.

The incident that prompted the complaint occurred on the afternoon of October 6, when the girl visited Parihar's office at the petrol pump for work-related matters. He reportedly made her sit down, engaged her in conversation, and then molested her while making obscene demands.

Terrified, the minor fled the scene and confided in the petrol pump owner, who advised her to approach the authorities.

"We acted swiftly upon receiving the complaint. The accused has been arrested, and we are probing the extent of the harassment, including any prior incidents or witnesses," a senior officer at Vatva GIDC police station. 

The FIR invokes sections for molestation, outraging the modesty of a woman and provisions under POCSO for sexual offences against a minor. Further inquiries will include statements from the victim, the owner, and other employees to ascertain if similar misconduct occurred with others.

Police confirmed that Parihar, who hails from the local area, was produced before a magistrate and remanded in custody. The investigation remains ongoing, with efforts to gather digital evidence such as CCTV footage from the premises.