Two days after he was appointed as the Thane district chief of the Shiva Sena by none other than the party president Uddhav Thackeray, Kedar Dighe, the nephew of the late Anand Dighe, found himself on the wrong side of the law. The NM Joshi Marg police on Tuesday booked Dighe and his friend in connection with the alleged sexual exploitation of a 20-year-old woman.
According to the NM Joshi Marg police, the victim approached them on Tuesday alleging that one Rohit Kapoor had sexually exploited her earlier this month. She further told the police in her statement that Dighe, who is a friend of Kapoor's, had called her and threatened her with dire consequences if she approached the authorities against Kapoor.
"Based on the victim's statement, we have registered an offence of rape and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code. Further inquiries into the matter are underway," a senior officer with the Mumbai Police said.
The complainant works with a top hotel in Mumbai and the rape is alleged to have been committed when Kapoor was staying as a guest at the hotel. The victim has stated in her FIR that Kapoor called her to his room under the pretext of discussing the hotel's premium membership options and forced himself on her. When the victim later approached him regarding the same, Kapoor allegedly offered her money in exchange for her silence and Dighe, who is Kapoor's friend, allegedly threatened her.
