Top MNC official held in sexual torture case

MUMBAI: A top official with a multinational firm has been arrested in connection with an offence of sexual torture registered earlier this month.

The victim, a 32-year-old PhD student with a technology institute, had submitted an application to the police in October 2022 that said he was subjected to torture, including sexual acts of a masochistic nature, for over a year. Based on his complaints, an FIR was filed on February 11.

According to the Powai police, the arrested accused has been identified as Subhro Banerjee, a resident of Powai. Banerjee’s LinkedIn profile states that he is currently employed as Head of Regulatory Affairs - India with Moet Hennessy, a Paris-based wine and spirits company. HT has independently verified his credentials with the police.

“The accused was in Paris on a business trip, and we had information that he would be returning on Thursday night.

We intercepted him as soon as he landed at the airport and arrested him,” said senior police inspector Budhan Sawant.

The accused has been booked for forcible unnatural intercourse, attempt to murder and criminal intimidation. He has also been charged under sections of the Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Act as well as the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

According to the police complaint, Banerjee made him perform certain sexual acts in the name of “tantrik sex” and forced him to consume sedatives.

The police said the victim and Banerjee met on a gay dating app in 2020 and began a consensual relationship, which Banerjee’s wife was allegedly aware of. She has also been named as an accused but has not been arrested yet.

“Banerjee has said in his initial questioning that everything that happened between him and the victim was completely consensual. We shall be interrogating him further to verify his claims,” said a police officer.