C Venkataramana, chairman and managing director of public sector alluminium major National Aluminium Corporation has gone on leave following registration of a first information report against him by Mumbai Police for allegedly molesting a woman colleague.

Director (P&T) S K Banerjee has been asked to officiate as CMD, order for which was released on Saturday, highly placed sources said.

The order issued by the ministry of mines over the weekend, has asked Banerjee to officiate till such time Venkatramana "is on leave".

Mumbai police had arrested NALCO regional manager Virender Singh, as a co-accused after the victim had named him as having been present in the hotel when the incident is said to have occurred.

According to a complaint filed by the victim, Venkataramana during his visit to Mumbai on February 8, asked her to accompany him to his suite at a five-star hotel in suburban Sahar.

Venkatramana asked his subordinate Singh to wait outside and asked her to follow him into the room, the woman had stated in her complaint, and alleged that Venkatramana made sexual advances towards her inside the room.