The Mahim police have arrested a 22-year-old housekeeping staffer of a private IT company for allegedly clicking objectionable photos of a woman web developer inside the company’s washroom.
The accused, identified as Abhishek Sharma (22), has been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. Following his arrest, court remanded him to judicial custody. The shocking incident, which came to light on Tuesday morning, sparked anger among women employees of the firm.
According to police, the complainant is a 24-year-old woman residing in Thane and working as a web developer at the Mahim-based IT company. On 30 September, around 10:30 am, she had gone to the office washroom when she suddenly heard the sound of a phone camera clicking while adjusting her clothes. Alarmed, she raised an alarm and rushed outside, where she spotted the company’s cleaner, Abhishek Sharma, fleeing the scene.
She immediately informed the building’s security guard, who also confirmed seeing Sharma running away. The matter was reported to a woman shopkeeper nearby, after which Sharma was confronted. During questioning, he allegedly confessed to secretly taking photos of women entering the washroom.
The company staff seized his phone and checked it but found no objectionable photos. However, when they accessed the deleted files, they discovered the complainant’s private and offensive photos.
The matter was immediately reported to Mahim Police, who registered a case under sections 77, 78, 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with section 66(E) of the IT Act. Sharma was arrested, and his mobile phone along with two SIM cards were seized. The device has been sent to the forensic lab for recovery of deleted data.
Police are now investigating whether Sharma had taken similar photos of other women employees, if he uploaded such content on social media or pornography websites, whether he was part of a larger racket, or if he had sold or circulated such private images. The investigation is ongoing.