Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu termed on Wednesday allegations of rape labelled against him by a woman from the state as false and politically motivated.
Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu (centre) has been accused of rape. (PTI)
The woman filed a complaint with the National Commission for Women in New Delhi on February 15, alleging Khandu and two more men had drugged and raped her at a circuit house after luring her to there on the pretext of offering her a job.
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The woman stated in the complaint that Khandu, who was not the chief minister then, had introduced himself as an army officer. She alleged that police refused to file her complaint and a court dismissed her appeal as well.
“I am shocked and saddened by these false allegations against me. I have always conducted myself honourably and with utmost integrity. In my view, these allegations are politically motivated and crafted by my opponents,” Khandu said in a statement issued by his office.
The woman approached police in 2011 allegedly after seeing Khandu’s picture in a newspaper and recognising him. Police in Itanagar conducted a preliminary investigation into her complaint.
She then approached the court of the chief judicial magistrate in Itanagar, which dismissed the complaint as “devoid of any merit”.
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.
