Woman says civic official asked for sexual favours over toilet construction

Raigarh: A 32-year-old woman in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district has accused a civic body official of seeking sexual favours to allow the construction of a toilet in her house under the ‘Clean India’ mission. Police said that a case had been registered against IP Sarathi, Sub-Engineer of Raigarh Municipal Corporation, at Jutmil police station last night on the basis of the woman's complaint. Sarathi has been charged under section 509(b)(gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) but has not been arrested as yet, said a police official. Police said that a toilet was being constructed at the house of the victim, hailing from Tendudipa locality of Raigarh town. "However, on November 21, the civic body had suddenly served a notice to the woman and halted the construction works citing it as illegal. The victim subsequently produced valid documents before the accused sub engineer asking for permission to restart the construction process," the official said. The official said that the victim in her complaint said that Sarathi had allegedly called on her mobile phone next day and sought sexual favours in exchange for the requisite permission. The woman told police that Sarathi threatened to demolish her house, by terming it illegal, if she did not accept his proposal.