Police have booked a Kolkata-based social media influencer for allegedly confining a 22-year-old woman at his house for nearly 20 hours and physically assaulting her, officials said.

According to police, the accused, a resident of Behala, was the complainant’s friend.

In her complaint registered at Behala Police Station on Wednesday, she said that she had visited his house on February 2 when he held her captive from 9.30pm to 5pm the following day during which she was allegedly beaten and punched. She also alleged that the accused touched her inappropriately, pulled her clothes, and when an argument broke out over some matter, he allegedly threatened her, police said.

Based on her statement, the police have registered an FIR under sections 127 (2) (Wrongful confinement), 115 (2) (Voluntarily causing hurt), 74 (Assault or use of criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 351 (2) (Criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The accused has a following of 32,000 on Facebook and over a thousand followers on Instagram. Since the allegations came to light, his followers and the general public have expressed their outrage on social media. However, the accused has not released a public statement regarding the charges yet.