PTI
Mumbai, Mar 4: Browsing matrimonial websites and making friends without checking out identities can prove harrowing as a city-based lady doctor has found out to her chagrin.
The 35-year old MBBS doctor was browsing a matrimonial website and made friends with Sameer Pareeja, a 40-year-old assistant vice-president of a Pune-based multinational firm earning an annual salary of Rs 17.50 lakh.
Pareeja was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly having tried to rape the doctor after luring her to Pune promising to marry her, giving fake details about his identity.
According to the cyber cell of crime branch, the accused, Sameer Pareeja, a married man residing in Bangalore, came in contact with the woman from Mumbai in December, 2007, through the Internet.
Pareeja, was produced before a court which remanded him to police custody till March 9, police said.
"She was browsing Jeevansathi.com when Sameer came in contact with her through chatting. He introduced himself as Raj and said he is working with a World Bank project in Tokyo. He told her that he is unmarried and asked her to exchange pictures," JCP (Crime) Rakesh Maria said.
Pareeja then sent her some pictures of a male model saying that they were his. After she sent some photos, he proposed her to marry him. "As they become friendly, he asked her to send her nude or semi-nude pictures through webcam," Maria said.
"Believing him, she sent her pictures following which he told her to meet his friend Sameer Pareeja in Pune to know more about him," Maria said.
"On April 20, last year, the girl went to Pune to meet Sameer and stayed at the Turf Club. Sameer took her to Taj Blue Diamond hotel where she was offered alcohol, apparently laced with some substance," he said.
"She was in a semi-conscious state after consuming the drink following which Sameer attempted to rape her. She raised an alarm after which the accused fled from the scene."
"She later suspected that Sameer and Raj are same. She returned to Mumbai and registered a complaint with the police on February 3," Maria said.
"After investigation, we came to know that Sameer lives with wife and an adopted daughter in Bangalore," the police officer said.
Police suspect he may have cheated several other women in similar manner and demanded sexual favours from them.
The MNC executive has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act.