Chhattisgarh police yet to arrest opposition leader’s son accused in rape case

The police had on January 18 said that Palas was booked for allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marriage

For representational purposes only. (Raj K Raj/HT File Photo)

The Chhattisgarh police are raiding several locations to arrest Palas, the son of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and state leader of opposition Narayan Chandel, who was accused of allegedly raping a woman and also forcing her to undergo an abortion, officials said on Monday.

Police said separate teams have been formed to look for the accused.

“He is absconding till now. We have got some leads and are working on it,” said Vijay Agarwal, superintendent of police of Janjgir-Champa district.

The police had on January 18 said that Palas was booked for allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marriage. The victim in her complaint alleged that the accused even forced her to undergo an abortion.

The woman also claimed that Palas exploited her sexually for the past few years on the pretext of marriage, the officer said.

A case was registered against Palas under sections 367(2)(n) (commit rape repeatedly on the same woman) and 313 (causing miscarriage without woman’s consent) of the Indian Penal Code in Raipur, and later forwarded to Janjgir-Champa police.