Yavatmal: Councillor of Wani Municipal Council Dheeraj Digambar Pathe (29), a resident of Wasekar Layout of Yavatmal, has been arrested by the Wani police on Friday night after a girl alleged the BJP leader of exploiting her.
The survivor, who is now doing BSc, alleged that Pathe has been exploiting her since she was studying in Std XII.
“In her complaint, the survivor said that Pathe had promised her of marriage and established sexual relationship with her when she was a minor. After some years, the accused wanted to marry the survivor but the latter refused. Pathe then started demanding Rs5 lakh from her a ‘compensation’ for refusing his demand to marry him. The survivor had turned down the demand,” police inspector Balasaheb Khade said.
The complainant further said that Pathe prepared fake documents and even opened a Facebook account in her name and started sending lewd messages to people to defame her. It was then that the survivor shared her plight with her parents and lodged the complaint.
“We have filed a criminal offence against Pathe under section 6 of POCSO Act, 2012 and under section 376, 363, 365,384,471 and 471 of IPC and arrested him. He has been produced before the Wani court and cops obtained his PCR,” Khade said.
Pathe was a co-accused in a similar rape case which is now pending before the court. However, sources say, due to the political clout, the police had not arrested him.
