As the state government gears up to pass 'Disha Act' that provides for harsher punishments to those guilty of crimes against women, the opposition (BJP) suffered an embarrassing blow on Friday when two people including former BJP legislator Narendra Mehta were booked on charges of raping and harassing a woman corporator of their own party in the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).
A case under Section 376 (rape) and other relevant provisions of the IPC and Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, has been registered at the Mira Road police station on Friday against Mehta and his accomplice Sanjay Tharthare. However, no arrests had been made till reports last came in.
The police swung into action after the woman posted a video on social media platforms, claiming the harassment and threat to her life from Mehta and his cronies. In the video which was apparently shot at the IG office (Konkan Range), the teary-eyed woman also revealed about a sting operation to expose Mehta's illegal and immoral activities.
The matter also rocked the ongoing budget session of the state assembly, following which home minister Anil Deshmukh promised to take stern action against the high profile culprit. In her complaint to the police, the woman has stated that after she separated from her husband, Mehta had been sexually assaulting her under the false pretext of marriage since 1999, when she worked for his club as a marketing executive.
She also alleged that Mehta had married her at a temple in Dahanu in 2001, but refused to acknowledge it in public and went on to remarry another woman in 2003, despite fathering her son. It has been further alleged that Mehta abused her for being from a backward community.
“Yes, a FIR has been registered against the duo including, Mehta. However, he seems to have absconded. We will arrest them soon,” said a senior police officer who is privy to investigations. Always in the news, mostly for the wrong reasons, Mehta shared cordial relations with Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Notably, Mehta had mysteriously resigned from all posts of the party on February 24, a day before his videos went viral on social media networks.
