A Military Police Command spokesman said Chen Chien-wei, 31, is now under detention on charges of sexually molesting an unidentified 12-year-old girl.

Chen was also charged with molesting a few others, all of them adults. He denied the charges, however. Major Chen, who is in charge of lie detection, asked for and was granted separation from the military on Friday, only a little more than a week after complaints had been filed with police against him.

Police made an arrest on Sunday.

Investigators said Chen was a frequent visitor at a Taipei Internet chat room, where he made acquaintances with a dozen girls.

A husband and father of one boy, Chen had affairs with at least half a dozen of them, investigators added.