E-Paper
Rape charges: NCP decides to wait for probe; Dhananjay Munde not to step down yet
The decision was taken considering revelations by leaders from other parties that the woman, who has accused Munde of rape, was in relationship with others and also blackmailed people
Maharashtra social justice minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde will not have to resign from his post for now. The party has decided that he should be allowed to continue until the police investigation is completed. The decision was taken considering revelations by leaders from other parties that the complainant, the woman who levelled rape charges against Munde, was in relationship with others and also blackmailed people, party chief Sharad Pawar said on Friday.
Pawar said he also suggested that the police appoint an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) level woman officer to investigate the allegations against Munde as well as against the woman.
“As I had said yesterday, we have taken the allegations against Munde seriously and were discussing our next course of action. A few people have also made allegations against the same woman. We have come to the conclusion that there is a need for an in-depth investigation and so, we will be waiting for the police investigation to be completed,” he said.
The woman, who is accusing Munde of sexual exploitation, is now facing allegations of blackmail by three other people, Pawar said. “Anyone can make allegations on someone else (other ministers) and then demands will be raised to remove him from the government. Hence, we will take the next step only after verifying the facts,” the NCP chief said.
Also read | ‘Fight from front’: BJP leader to Sharad Pawar after Dhananjay Munde ‘exposed’
Munde has found himself in the centre of a controversy after a woman accused him of rape on the pretext of marriage and other favours. The woman alleged that the police are not accepting her written complaint against the minister and her life is under threat. Munde, however, claimed that the woman is trying to defame and blackmail him. She is the sister of a woman with whom Munde reportedly had a relationship earlier.
Among the men who have made allegations against the woman is BJP leader and former MLA Krishna Hegde who accused her of harassment for years. He filed a police complaint against the woman, saying she used to call him, claiming that they were in a relationship. This went on for over five years. He said he realised that she was a serial offender which led him to file an official complaint with the Amboli police on Thursday. The woman had dismissed Hegde’s allegations on her social media handle and alleged that Munde is behind the same.
Another leader, Manish Dhuri from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in Mumbai, also alleged that the woman tried to honey trap him by inviting him to her flat in Andheri a few years ago. However, he sensed the presence of someone else there and left immediately. Dhuri also filed a complaint with the Amboli police.
