A 32-year-old man was arrested by the Goa police on Monday, 6 June, for allegedly raping a British woman in front of her partner under the pretext of giving her a massage, the police said.
The accused has been identified as Joel Vincent D’Souza.
"We received a complaint from a woman who had come along with British consulate officials. The complaint mentioned that the woman victim was molested by a man at Sweet Water lake in Arambol. An offence of rape registered, accused arrested," SP North Goa, Shobhit Saksena said, as per ANI.
While the crime against the 42-year-old woman took place on 2 June at the Sweet Lake in North Goa, she registered a complaint at the Pernem police station on 6 June, after consulting her family and the British High Commission.
An FIR was registered against the accused under Indian Penal Code Section 376 (rape) and the police will produce him before a local court on Monday to seek custody of him, the official said.
A United Kingdom foreign official said, “We are providing consular support to a British National in Goa,” as per The Independent.
The victim was sent for a medical check-up at a hospital in Panaji's Mapusa.
Inspector Vikram Naik led the case as the Pernem police arrested the accused. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Siddhant Shirodkar is currently supervising the investigation, reported NDTV.
What Happened?
The accused was part of a group that illegally offered massage services near the Arambol beach in North Goa district, the police said.
As per the police complaint, the accused allegedly raped her under the pretext of giving her a massage when she was lying near the Sweet Water Lake, located close to the beach, along with her male partner, an official said.
A senior police official said the accused had also worked as a librarian at a school in the past.
“We have contacted the police station concerned to get his past records. Currently, he is not working as a librarian,” the official said.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI, NDTV, and The Independent.)
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