Sex abuse victim arrested in Jharkhand

RANCHI - Police Sunday arrested a woman, who was the victim of sexual abuse by a senior IPS officer five years ago, on charges of patronising a criminal gang and extortion.

Sushma Badaik was arrested from the capital city in a joint operation by Gumla district police Ranchi police, an officer said.

She was in the news when a news channel in 2005 telecast a video clip that showed the then inspector general of police, R.S. Natarajan, in a comprising position with her.

The news channel claimed the video was filmed with Badaik’s consent. Natarajan was suspended and has been under suspension since then. He even spent over six months in jail.

Last week Badaik had met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in his Janta Durbar (open forum) in Patna and sought his help in the sexual abuse case. She had said she feared arrest in her state. The chief minister had assured her to take up the issue with Jharkhand counterpart.

Police said Sunday that Badaik was patronising a group called Jharkhand Guerrillas Army (JGA) based in Gumla, which was involved in extortion and that she used to collect the money and keep it with herself.

Gumla police had arrested eight members of group from the district in August 2010, including its chief, who according to police, had admitted that Badaik was the group’s patron.