Kolkata: A youth, Shibranjan Ghatak, was arrested on Friday for allegedly taking a woman to hotels on the pretext of consulting an astrologer, spiking her drink and sexually assaulting her on multiple occasions, police said.Ghatak allegedly also transferred Rs 44,000 from the woman’s phone to his own bank account.According to police, the woman had met Ghatak on social media around six months ago. The two exchanged phone numbers and remained in contact. They later met at a restaurant in Tollygunge, where the woman told him that she was facing some problems and wanted to consult an astrologer.Police said Ghatak told her that he had a relative in Malda who was skilled in astrology. Trusting him, the woman travelled to Malda and checked into a hotel. The woman told police that Ghatak later gave her a soft drink laced with a sedative. After she lost consciousness, he allegedly raped her. She came to know what had happened after waking up the next morning, police said.Ghatak asked her not to disclose the incident and promised to marry her. She agreed to the proposal. He subsequently took her to a hotel in Tollygunge, where he allegedly raped her again using a similar method. He then allegedly stopped communicating with her. Realising that she had allegedly been deceived, the woman approached Tollygunge police. The woman has undergone a medico-legal examination as part of the investigation. Police are examining the alleged financial transaction and other circumstances surrounding the incidents.
