Navi Mumbai: The Nerul police have registered a case of molestation and criminal intimidation against Republican Party of India (RPI) leader Mahesh Khare for allegedly molesting a 15-year-old.
Mr. Khare was earlier arrested for allegedly raping the victim’s mother, who had filed a complaint against him with the Kharghar police in August. He was later granted bail.
“While I was discussing my case in the lawyer’s office, my 15-year-old daughter, who has a stammer and speech issues, said Khare had once molested her. She told me that it was the day when we were supposed to go to our home town. I had stepped out to buy something, and he had come home. She told me that he had touched her inappropriately and then threatened that he would kill me if she said anything,” the woman said.
The victim’s mother met Mr. Khare in 2006, when she shifted to Navi Mumbai after her husband’s death. “He had offered me a job to do the housework at his second wife’s home in Kharghar as she had health issues. He raped me on various occasions, threatening to force my elder daughter into flesh trade if I did not agree to his demands. Finally, I lodged a complaint with Kharghar police this year,” she said.
She said her daughter is an introvert and low on confidence, so did not her about the molestation.
“Mr. Khare has been granted interim bail till October 27, and so we have not arrested him. Once the bail period is over, and if we find the allegation to be true, we will take appropriate action,” Senior Police Inspector Ashok Rajput said.
The case against Mr. Khare has been registered under Sections 354 (molestation) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 8 of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).