Mumbai:

A 57-year-old psychologist has been arrested on charges of rape and unnatural sex after a former patient, a student now aged 20, lodged a complaint against him with Kasturba Marg police. Sanjoy Mukerji was produced before a magistrate court at Borivli on Wednesday.

While the incident dates back to 2018, she told the police she only confided in her parents earlier this week, following which an FIR was lodged on Monday.

The survivor told the police she suffered from anxiety in 2018. Her parents took her to a physician who asked her to do a blood test. But when the blood test results were found to be normal, they recommended that she see a mental health professional. The survivor looked up online for a renowned psychologist practising in the western suburbs where she lived.

She found details of Mukerji’s clinic online and went along with her father in August 2018.

After the first session, Mukerji asked her to come back the following week.

“The girl went with her grandfather for the next session. Relatives are asked to wait outside, as per usual practice, so that patients can reveal their anxieties without any pressure. According to the girl’s complaint, Mukerji made remarks about her body and told her to stop dressing like a tomboy. He held her close, which she wasn’t comfortable with,” said a police officer.

The survivor said she refused to return for the next session but her family insisted. According to her complaint, she was raped during this session and the psychologist shot a video clip too.

She went back to him to ask that the clip be deleted but he allegedly had unnatural sex with her. She did not return thereafter and went to another therapist.

Out of fear, she did not confide in her parents. But the female therapist that she went to next managed to get her to narrate “the ordeal” and insisted that she inform her parents, which she did on February 9.

“Based on her statement, Mukerji was taken into custody on February 11. His phone will be examined by forensic analysts,” said an officer.

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