Posing as police, serial offender molests women

A serial offender has been sexually harassing several young women disguised as crime branch police.

The man’s criminal actions came to light when a 21-year-old woman lodged a complaint, saying he came to her house and sexually harassed her, posing as a policeman.

It has since emerged that the man is Sreenath A V alias Srikanth (33), a resident of Judicial Layout, who owns a cell phone shop in Yelahanka New Town and taxi cars.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) North-East Kala Krishnaswamy told DH that Sreenath is a serial offender. Describing his modus operandi, she said he watches college girls and women for some time and visits them at home, posing as crime branch police.

Sreenath frightens women, saying they have cases registered against them and makes an offer to drop the cases in exchange for sexual favours.

Around 6.30 pm on June 26, Sreenath visited the 21-year-old victim’s house in Chamundeshwari Layout in Vidyaranyapura. He wore formal attire. As she opened the door, he introduced himself as a police officer and told her that there are harassment cases against her.

Sending the woman’s friend out of the house, Sreenath offered to drop the cases in exchange for sexual gratification for 10 minutes and went on to molest the woman before fleeing the spot.

The woman later filed a complaint with the Vidyaranyapura police.

During their investigation, the police reviewed similar cases and noticed that the modus operandi fitted Sreenath’s, who was arrested last year following a rape case.