The Bandra police have submitted a closure report against the office-bearers of the Otters Club, who were booked after a businessman alleged that his seven-year-old son was sexually assaulted by a waiter in September 2023.
The complainant, who has been the club's member for two decades, said that he along with his friends and the child had gone to the club on September 29 last year. The minor was sexually assaulted when he went to order French fries in the kitchen.
The father had claimed that when he brought the incident to the notice of the club's office-bearers, they tried to arm-twist him. He further alleged that they even threatened not to report the issue, assuring him that the matter would be referred to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment committee. Notably, the case could not go to the committee as it related to child sexual harassment, argued the father.
He then moved the Bombay High court through his lawyer Faiz Merchant against the “inaction” of police against the office-bearers. He asserted that the committee members had played the video wherein his son was sexually assaulted on a big screen bringing further embarrassment.
The Bandra police had filed the chargesheet against the accused waiter, but had sought time for further probe against the office-bearers. The high court, meanwhile, had directed the deputy commissioner of police to supervise the probe.
After the probe, the police concluded that the office-bearers never threatened or prevented the complainant from approaching the police. The police said that in fact, the committee members of the club had time and again suggested the father to move a formal complaint to the police. The police had also noted that the club itself had informed them.
Besides, on the allegation of playing video in which the minor was allegedly assaulted on the bigger screen, the police claimed that the complainant had himself requested to play the clip in the conference hall during the inquiry. As there was no CCTV in the conference room there was no question of video being copied or circulated, said the police.
