Maharashtra: BJP corporator from Kalyan booked for allegedly raping 27-year-old woman

Thane: A case has been registered against a BJP corporator from Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) for allegedly repeatedly raping a 27-year-old woman on promise of marriage, city police said on Tuesday. [caption id=“attachment_3768733” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] The police have also booked a couple, associated with another political party, for helping the corporator in the crime, they said. As per the complaint lodged by the city-based victim, the corporator — Daya Vasant Gaikwad — repeatedly raped her between June and August this year, Thane police spokesperson Sukhada Narkar said. “The complainant said that Gaikwad developed a friendship with her and repeatedly raped her at different places in Titwala and Badlapur in the district under the promise of marriage”, the police officer said. When the victim threatened to approach the police against Gaikwad, he hatched a conspiracy and roped in a couple — Ashwini Dhumal and her husband Manoj Dhumal — associated with another major political party in the state, police said. “The couple contacted the victim via social media and invited her to their house to settle the matter. When she went there, the Dhumals asked her to demand Rs 10 lakh and a flat from the corporator. They audio-recorded their conservation and passed it on to Gaikwad”, Narkar said. Gaikwad then threatened the victim that he would use the audio recording as a proof that the victim was threatening him and trying to extort money from him, police said. The woman lodged a complaint on Tuesday. Based on her complaint, the Vartaknagar police last night registered a case against Gaikwad under sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Offence was also registered against the couple under different sections of the IPC, police said. No arrest has been made so far in the case and further investigation is on.