Mumbai: In a relief to former BJP leader Narendra Mehta, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Thane police’s Crime Branch not to take any coercive action against him.
Mehta was accused of raping a corporator from Mira-Bhayander municipal corporation. Accordingly an FIR was registered against him on charges of rape. The police also invoked provisions of the stringent Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Mehta as the victim alleged he had hurled casteist abuses to her.
Having been named in the case, Mehta had resigned from the post of MLA and also stepped down from all the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) posts.
Notably, the probe was transferred from local police to the Crime Branch following the allegations by the victim that she was being threatened by Mehta.
Aggrieved by the criminal complaint lodged against him, Mehta petitioned the bench of Acting Chief Justice Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Justice NR Borkar. He urged the bench to quashed the FIR against him. Before the HC, senior advocate Aabad Ponda, appearing for Mehta apprised the bench of the fact his client and the victim are married since 1999 and have a son. He alleged the rape case was filed only to settle scores.
“She has filed the rape case at least after 20 years. This case is just because he did not support her in the recent civic poll for Mira Bhayander municipal corporation. He had supported some other candidate,” Ponda argued.
Accordingly, Ponda urged the bench to grant interim protection from arrest and any other criminal action against his client. The submissions were opposed by the victim’s counsel Rizwan Merchant, who argued despite marrying his client in 1999, Mehta did not allow her to make their marriage public. “My client though did not agree to this, but still stayed in the relationship as the accused had promised to reveal their marriage to everyone when his political career takes off,” Merchant pointed out.
Having heard the arguments, ACJ Dharmadhikari said, “Let the police file a detailed reply by March 20. Till then, do not take any coercive action against the accused (Mehta), if he cooperates with the probe.” The matter would be next heard on March 20.
