Panaji: Suspended Crime Branch Police Inspector Vikas Deykar (40) was arrested by Old Goa police on Wednesday in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a minor at the Crime Branch office in Ribandar, officials said.
A 37-year-old woman, Rajani Palekar, a resident of Vasco and the second accused in the case, was also arrested, they said.
Old Goa police had registered a case against Deykar for allegedly sexually assaulting the minor on two occasions, July 25 and October 27, 2026, inside his cabin at the Crime Branch premises in Ribandar. The woman is accused of allegedly facilitating the offences, according to the complaint.
The minor had initially approached the Childline helpline with a grievance, following which the complaint was forwarded to Deykar, who was then associated with the Crime Branch. The alleged incidents came to light after the minor lodged a complaint, following which an FIR was registered at Old Goa police station on October 30.
As the allegations pertained to incidents at the Crime Branch premises, the case was entrusted to Old Goa police for investigation.
Deykar was suspended from service following the registration of the case. Goa Director General of Police Alok Kumar had earlier said that the department followed a zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct and that both legal and departmental action had been initiated against the accused.
Both Deykar and Palekar had earlier joined the investigation following notices issued to them under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
During further interrogation on Wednesday, investigators noticed material inconsistencies in their statements, and both failed to provide satisfactory explanations regarding crucial aspects of the case, police said.
Considering the material collected during the investigation, their alleged involvement in the offence, the need for custodial interrogation, and apprehensions of possible attempts to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence, both were placed under arrest, police said.
The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Further investigation is underway, police added.
