Education officer booked for sexual harassment

An education officer of the Thane Zilla Parishad (ZP) has been booked on charges of sexually harassing a lady officer, police said Thursday.

An offence under IPC section 354-A (sexual harassment) has been registered against the accused, Ashish Zunjarrao, at the Sahapur police station in Thane district, they said.

Zunjarrao is posted at Sahapur, while the victim works with the panchayat samiti of the same town as an extension officer, the police added.

The police said the 44-year-old woman officer, in her complaint, has alleged the accused had been repeatedly making sexual advances towards her.

Zunjarrao also subjected her to various other forms of harassment as they worked together, the police added.

The victim said on February14, when she had gone to get his signature on some papers, the education officer allegedly passed lewd comments and also made an unsuccessful attempt to touch her inappropriately, they added, quoting the complaint.

The woman claimed in the past she had submitted complaints against the accused to her seniors, including the District Education Officer and the Konkan Divisional Commissioner, but no action was taken.

A probe is on in the matter, the police said.