Mumbai Crime: Former BJP MLA, aide booked for raping corporator

Victim first shares video on social media accusing Mehta and his associate of harassing her sexually; files plaint later

A case has been registered against former BJP MLA Narendra Mehta and his associate Sanjay Tharthare at Mira Road police station on Friday for allegedly raping and harassing a 45-year-old woman corporator. The victim had also shared a video on social media in which she has accused Mehta of sexually and mentally harassing her.

"She also feared for her and her family-s safety as Mehta had threatened her several times," a police officer said.

As per the statement given to the police by the victim, she got married a few years ago, but later separated from her husband. During this time, she befriended Mehta in 1999 and later they got married in a temple in Dahanu on June 13, 2001. However, Mehta was already married and kept his first marriage hidden from her.

She has further claimed that Mehta changed his behaviour towards her after she got pregnant and that he sexually abused her regularly after he became the Mira-Bhayander corporator. "When she tried to make their relationship public, Tharthare threatened to kill her," the officer added.

On February 26, she approached the IG Kokan division and met the Rural SP and submitted her complaint following which a case was registered against Mehta and Tharthare under Sections 376 2 n continuous rape, 376 2 being a public servant and taking advantage of his official position and raping a woman in his custody as such public servant or in the custody of a public servant subordinate to him, 496 dishonestly or with a fraudulent intention, going through the ceremony of being married, knowing that he is not thereby lawfully married, 417 punishment for cheating, 323 punishment for voluntarily causing hurt, 504 insults and thereby gives provocation to any person, intending or knowing it to be likely that such provocation will cause him to break the public peace, 506 punishment for criminal intimidation, 34 common intention and 31w, 3s, 325," a police officer said.

When mid-day tried contacting Mehta or the complainant, no comment could be obtained.

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