Goa swimming coach sent to 6-day police custody

Panaji: Goa's former chief swimming coach Surajit Ganguly, who was arrested in the national capital for raping and molesting a 15-year-old swimming champion, has been remanded to six days in police custody by a local magistrate here on Sunday.

Ganguly, who was on the run, was arrested on Friday by a joint police team from Goa and Delhi, and was flown back to the coastal state on a transit remand in the early hours on Sunday.

"The accused has been remanded to six days in police custody," North Goa district Superintendent of Police Utkrist Prasun said.

The accused swimming coach has been booked at the Mapusa police station in North Goa district, under sections 461, 354, 376 and 506 (ii) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 8 of the Goa Children's Act and Sections 6 and 8 of the POCSO Act.

The victim has accused Ganguly, who had served as the chief coach of the Swimming Association of Goa for nearly two and a half years, of molesting her.

The complaint followed hours after a video of the coach, who has since been banned by the Swimming Federation of India, allegedly molesting the minor girl went viral on social media on Thursday, sparking uproar across the country.

A complaint was filed by the victim's father with the Kolkata Police, but the case was subsequently transferred to the Goa Police, after the victim revealed that the controversial video was shot in the coastal state.