The former MLA was booked after the 21-year old woman arrived at the Surat city police commissioner’s office to record her statement. (Representational image)
Surat police on Thursday registered an FIR against BJP leader Jayantibhai Bhanushali for allegedly raping and threatening a 21-year-old woman. The former MLA was booked after the 21-year old woman arrived at the Surat city police commissioner’s office to record her statement. However, police officials had to take her to the Crime Branch office to testify, as Opposition leaders and mediapersons gathered at the commissioner’s office after receiving news that she might approach the police.
The woman, a resident of Varachha, had accused Bhanushali of raping her on multiple occasions after promising her admission to a ‘reputable college’ in Ahmedabad. The woman had submitted an application against Bhanushali at the commissionerate, through an acquaintance. Following her complaint, Bhanushali, who was vice-president of the Gujarat BJP, was made to step down from the party post.
Subsequently, the police, claiming that they could not reach the woman, stuck a notice outside her house, identifying her by name, and asked her to record her statement. Two days ago, a letter purportedly written by her went viral, claiming that she could not go to the police station as she feared for her life. On Thursday, Surat Police Commissioner Satish Sharma said, “She stands by her allegations and we have started procedure of registering offence of rape against Jayanti Bhanushali under various sections. A woman deputy commissioner, Dr Leena Patil, will carry out the investigations.”
In the afternoon, leader of opposition in Surat Municipal Corporation Praful Togadiya, Surat Congress party president Hasmukh Desai, Congress councillors Bhavesh Rabari, Dr Ravindra Patil, Dhansukh Rajput, Sanjay Patwa, Jagdish Kanaj were present at the police commissioner’s office as mediapersons waited outside. When the woman arrived at the office, a police inspector took her to the Crime Branch amid protests from Congress leaders.
The woman was later taken to the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC)-run SMIMER hospital for medical examination under heavy police security.