Bangalore: A central government officer has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 27-year-old Italian woman after promising to help her get an exit permit.

Krishnan Kumar (54), who works at the Foreigner Registration Office (FRRO) in Shantinagar, was arrested yesterday for allegedly molesting the woman.

The woman said she had approached police to lodge a complaint against Kumar, alleging he had molested her in his car in the presence of her child on November 27.

She said she came into contact with Kumar when he offered to help her get the exit permit after she found the papers were not ready at the FRRO.

The FRRO comes under the Home Ministry and regulates the stay, movement and departure of foreign nationals in India. It also has the powers to recommend extension of stay.

The victim said Kumar asked her to meet him at a deserted place at HSR Layout on November 27. "I went with my child to meet him and he asked me to sit in his car to complete the paperwork. But to my surprise he molested me," she alleged.

"I could not jump out of the car as it was centrally locked. Then I pleaded with him not to misbehave in my child`s presence. He then asked me to attend a special function hosted by him, but I refused. He relented and promised to do my work and asked me to meet him again," she said.

The Italian woman said she did not immediately lodge a complaint with police as she was concerned about the man`s family and his wife.

"I did not want to hurt his wife and children. Therefore I did not lodge a complaint because I thought Indian laws were more stringent than ours (Italian laws)," she said.

However, on December 6, she lodged a complaint with police after an Indian friend of hers advised her to do so.

The woman said she had come to India on January 15 to join a company making chocolates and ice-creams, but had to terminate the contract after she met with an accident.

Police said they had registered a case against Kumar under Section 354 of IPC (outraging the modesty of a woman).